


Come Back to Me

by Booklover1217



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-23 09:25:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 29,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10716654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Booklover1217/pseuds/Booklover1217
Summary: He'd dreamt of her again.The girl in the pink dress with the shaved head, who's face he could never bring into focus except for a pair of wide brown eyes, that he dreamed of nearly every night.The girl who didn't actually exist.Seventeen year old Mike Wheeler has been dreaming of the girl with the shaved head and pink dress for years, a girl he knows doesn't exist but is realer to him than any other girl he's met in real life. However, when his best friend, Will, moves back into town with a new sister in tow who looks weirdly similar to the girl in his dreams he starts hearing and seeing things that never happened. Or did they?





	1. Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!  
> I've recently become obsessed with Stranger Things and couldn't get this idea of my head. I've been sitting at my computer, writing feverishly in a way I haven't in years! So please be kind and I really hope it you like it! Please review and let me know what you think :)

February 21st 1987 

'Michael, phone!' Karen Wheeler called through her son's door, knocking loudly. 

She heard him groan and huffed out an amused laugh, before turning and walking back down the stairs, with a shake of her head. 

Seventeen year old Mike Wheeler opened bleary eyes, groaning at his Mom's incessant knocking. He leant up on his elbow, and peered at the clock on his desk through squinty, barely opened eyes. 

8.45 it blinked. As if mocking him. 

8.45 in the damn morning. What is wrong with some people? Weekends are for sleeping.

He rolled reluctantly to his feet, hand over his face to block out the bright sunlight seeping through his blinds, his mind drifting to the dream he had last night. Or, if he was being totally honest with himself, the girl who'd been in it. 

He'd dreamt of her again. 

He gave a heavy a heavy sigh, running a hand over his face, fingers catching on the slight prickle on his chin. 

The girl in the pink dress with the shaved head, who's face he could never bring into focus except for a pair of wide brown eyes, that he dreamed of nearly every night. 

The girl who didn't actually exist. 

Mike couldn't really remember when the dreams had started, but they'd become an almost nightly occurrence, something he had even begun to look forward to as the years went on and they showed no sign of going away. Sometimes they'd be doing nothing at all, like last night when he'd been his twelve year old self and had showed her his 22 inch television and Star Wars figurines. While in others she'd been doing things only the superheroes in his favourite comic books could do, like throwing people into walls. 

The only thing that was the same in all his dreams was her. 

What is wrong with you? he thought, stretching, why can't you dream of normal things like school, or girls that you've actually met? 

'Michael, I'm not telling you again', Karen called sternly from downstairs and Mike could almost see her standing at the foot of the   
stairs, hands on her hips. 

Mike hurried out of his room, stomping down the stairs irritably. He passed his Mom at the bottom of the stairs, and muttered a quick 'Sorry', before he took the phone she held out. 

'What?' he snapped grumpily. 

Silence, and a slightly crackling, is all he hears on the other end. He waits for someone to speak, growing more irritated by the second, his face folding into a scowl. 

'If this is you, Lucas, I swear I will kick your ass next time I see you.' 

A male voice suddenly laughed on the other end. 

'Good morning to you too, Mike!' 

Mike frowned as he recognised the voice, but couldnt quite place who it belongs to. 

'Uh, sorry, who is this?' 

'It's Will'. 

Mike's eyes widened in realisation and his mouth dropped open. 

'Will? Will Byers? Holy shit!' 

'Michael, language', Karen yelled from the kitchen, exasperated. 

'Sorry,' he yelled back, muffling the phone with his hand, before talking excitedly, 'I can't believe this? Where are you calling from? What have you been up to?' 

'Actually, that's why I'm calling you. We just moved back.' 

'What? To Hawkins.' 

'Yeah. You know where Chief Hopper's old place. We had a house built where his trailer used to be near the pond'. 

'No way. We've been wondering for months who was moving in there. This is so awesome. Do Dustin and Lucas know?' he asked him curiously. 

'I called them before you. They're coming out to check out the house and to catch up if you want to come', Will told him. 

'Yeah, that's sounds great.' 

'Cool. Dustin said he'd stop by and give you guys a lift in half an hour, and to be ready or he'll leave you behind', Will laughed, 'I can't wait to see you all, it's been way too long. Oh, and I almost forgot, there's someone I want you all to meet.' 

'Oh yeah, who?' Mike asked curiously, frowning slightly. 

'My sister. Mum and Hopper adopted her when we moved to New York. I've gotta go, see you soon.' 

Will hangs up and Mike blinked at the abruptness before putting the phone back in it's holder. 

He walked into the kitchen where Holly sat at the table, munching on toast, and his Mom stood at the stove, efficiently flipping eggs. 

'Mum, you'll never believe whose moved back to Hawkins', he said, voice excited as he took a slice of toast off a pile on the table. 

'Will Byers', Karen said knowingly, turning and almost laughing as Mike visibly deflates. 

'How'd you know? I didn't even recognise his voice.' 

'I talked to Joyce before she put him on. She invited us to a housewarming party at their house tomorrow night. So I guess you're heading over there today, then?' 

Mike nodded, chewing the toast in his mouth and swallowing it quickly so he can answer.

'Yeah, Dustin's on his way to come get me. Is that okay?' 

'Sure, just be back before dinner, okay?' she said, ruffling his hair, rolling her eyes when he pulled away, pushing his hair back down. 

'Thanks, Mom', he said, turning and rushing back to his room, quickly pulling on a pair of jeans and a plain grey t-shirt. He'd had just finished brushing his teeth and running a comb through his floppy hair when he heard the familiar two-beat honk of Dustin's horn out front. 

'See you later, Mom', he called back, running out the front door to the sidewalk where he slid into the backseat of Dustin's second-hand 62 blue Plymouth his parent's had bought for him for his sixteen birthday a month ago. 

'About time, Mike', Dustin joked, pulling the car out onto the street with a high-pitched squeal. 

Mike rolled his eyes, ignoring his friend's teasing, and leaned forward in his seat.

'Can you guys you believe that Will's back?' 

'I know, right?' Lucas said, turning around in his seat in the front, and grinned excitedly at him. 'I didn't even recognise his voice on the phone this morning.' 

'Me either. It's going to be so good having him back.' 

'I still don't understand why they moved in the first place', Dustin told them, driving the car further out of the town, towards Hopper's old place. 'I mean one day Will was in school, and everything was normal, and the next he was calling us to tell us he'd moved.' 

'Hopper got offered a job and it was an immediate start. I think that's a pretty good reason.' Lucas said, rolling his eyes at Mike. 

'Well, I just think that it's a bit suspicious'. 

'You think everything is suspicious, Dustin'. 

Mike quickly intervened, knowing his friend's were seconds from breaking out into their ridiculous bickering. 

'Did Will tell you guys he wanted us to meet his sister?' 

Dustin glanced at him in the rear-view mirror, nodding, his wild curls bouncing. 

'Yeah, he did. How crazy is that? Will has a sister'.

Lucas frowned, looking out the window. 

'It just sounds weird. A girl living with the Byers. I can't imagine it.' 

'I live with three girls, trust me it's not that weird', Mike laughed, 'I wonder what she's like. And how old she is. Maybe she can be a friend for Holly'. 

'Well, we're about to find out, cause we're here', Dustin told them, parking in front of two storey house. 

It was painted white with green shutters, a set of steps leading up to a porch, and a staircase at the side that seemed to lead to the second storey. 

They all climbed eagerly out of the car and rushed to the front door, Dustin and Lucas knocking each other to the side, both wanting to be the ones to knock. 

Lucas won, pinning him to the wall near the door and ringing the doorbell, giving Dustin a triumphant look. Dustin glared at him and Mike rolled his eyes at their antics.

'Seriously guys', he muttered, as the door swung open revealing a tall figure. 

Will Byers had definitely changed in the three years since they'd seen him. He had sprung up from the boy who'd been the runt of the group, and was almost as tall as Lucas, who stood at six foot two. His bowl cut had grown out and almost brushed his shoulders, and his face had thinned out. 

He stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, eyebrows raised at them, looking cool in jeans and a Guns N Roses t-shirt. 

'You guys don't change do you?' he asked, voice amused and surprisingly deep, instead of the high-pitched voice they'd last heard as kids. 

'Will', Dustin yelled. 

He pushed Lucas out of the way and pulled Will in for a hug, almost knocking him back. 

'Whoa, shit. Nice to see you too, Dustin,' Will laughed, patting him on the back. 

Lucas yanked Dustin back by the back of his shirt, and gave Will a quick hug, and then Mike stepped forward, hugging his friend tightly. 

'It's so good to see you, Will', he said, pulling back and looking him up and down, 'When did you become so cool?' 

Will laughed, waving him off and took them to the second level of the house that belonged to him and his siblings. Will explained, voice amused, that Hopper had insisted on this detail while building the house after living in the cramped three-bedroom apartment they'd had in New York, where'd they tripped over each for three years and had zero privacy. 

They settled on the couches and floor in the living room and easily slipped into their old patterns of conversation, not feeling awkward at all. They talked about where Will had moved to, New York to all of their surprise, and what it was like, and Will asked what had changed in Hawkins. 

Will told them how he'd been devastated to leave his boyfriend Cam behind in New York, but he was coming to Hawkins in a month for his birthday so he had that to look forward. The boys were surprised but not too shocked, having known when they were kids that Will didn't like girls like the rest of them. 

They also agreed that they'd have to have a D & D campaign soon for old times sake, having stopped not long after Will had moved away, as it had no longer felt the same. 

'So why did you guys move back?' Mike asked, cocking his head to the side. 

Will shrugged, leaning back in his seat on the couch. 

'Mom didn't think that New York was a good place to raise a baby. Teenagers, maybe. But a baby, definitely not. So Hopper called in a favour and got his old job back so we could move back here,' Will said, chuckling at their surprised faces. 

'What?' Lucas asked, a grin spreading across his face. 

'Mom's pregnant. She and Hopper are at the doctor's right now getting a check-up.' 

'Oh my god, that's awesome, Will', Mike told him, enjoying his friend's glowing face. 

'Yeah we're pretty excited. She's getting really big and we find out the gender really soon. We're actually taking bets on it.' 

'Speaking of siblings, when do we get to meet you're little sister? Is she still asleep?' Dustin asked, glancing down the hall where Will had told them their bedrooms were. 

Will blinked at him, eyebrows drawing together in confusion. 

'Huh? What do you mean little....' Will trailed off as he heard the back stairs door slam open behind him, and saw his friend's eyes all shift towards the noise. 

He knew only one person could be behind him, and his lips twitched in amusement as the boys all started gawking, before turning to greet his sister. 

Mike gaped at the petite girl, who seemed to be around their age, who walked into the upstairs entry way, kicking off her shoes at the door, followed closely by a huge shaggy grey dog who stared at them with beady black eyes.

'Oh my god', he heard Dustin whisper and Lucas mutter a quiet, 'What the hell?', shooting her a suspicious look. 

He could barely hear his friend's over his own thoughts, his heart speeding up a little in his chest. 

Holy shit!

The girl looked up at them, startled warm brown eyes shifting to each of their faces, her flushed cheeks draining of colour.

She was beautiful, her features almost elfish, delicate like the girls in the black and white films Nancy used to force him to watch with her when they were younger. High cheekbones, sharp chin and pouty lips. Chestnut brown hair that fell to her shoulders in messy, loose curls. 

She was short, the top of her head would barely reach the top of Mike's chest, and he wasn't exactly tall, and was wearing a bright yellow Star Trek hoody that was way too big and fell to her knees, revealing long, bare legs. 

But it wasn't her beauty that left Mike stunned, thoughts racing, staring at her, his mouth hanging open. She looked exactly like the girl in his dreams. 

The girl with the pink dress and shaved head. But how could that be? That girl didn't exist, she was only a figment of his hyperactive imagination. She couldn't be her? 

Right?


	2. Hello (again)

Eleven Jane Hopper froze in the entryway, heart pounding in her ears and her breath hissing between her teeth as she stares at the three boys gawking at her from the couch and floor in front of her.

They're here, she thought, a slight touch of hysteria coating her mind.

The three of them just sat there, as if they'd appeared out of thin air. So familiar, still so the same that she physically ached at the sight.

Dustin had thinned out, and his front teeth had finally come in, as she could tell by the way his mouth was hanging open His curls were still as wild before, and he was still stocky, though he'd grown quite a bit since she'd last seen him.

Lucas was tall, and El could see that he would tower over the other three boys when they stood, and had bulked up, muscles clearly defined through his t-shirt, but his hair and the cautious look in his eyes remained the same.

Mike had grown taller and broader, but he still carried his lanky and long-limbed form as awkwardly as before. His hair was cut shorter, but still remained messy and untameable. He seemed to have more freckles than before, and there was stubble lining his chin.

And they all looked at her with no hint of recognition in their eyes.

El's heart dropped into her stomach.

So it was true, she thought, they didn't remember her. The Bad Men had really erased their memories like Joyce and Hopper had told her.

Her panicked eyes skittered to Will, who was watching her carefully, his own eyes full of worry.

 _Will?,_ she asked, opening the mental connection that had formed between the two of them when she'd gone looking for him in the Upside Down so long ago, as her stomach clenched with nerves.

_Don't freak out, El, okay? I know I should've warned you..._

_I don't think I can do this, Will_ , she told him, taking a shaky step back.

 _I tried to tell you, I swear_ , he told her quickly, knowing she was seconds from bolting. _I tried to warn you last night but you were already asleep and when I got up this morning you were gone. It'll be fine, I promise. It has to happen sometime so why not get it over with?_

El stared at him for a moment, shoving her hands into the pockets of her borrowed jumper to hide how much they were shaking before giving a tiny, hesitant nod that only Will would've picked up on.

Will smiled, sending reassuring feelings down the link and turned back to his friends.

'Guys, this is my sister, El. El, these are my friends that I was telling you about, Lucas, Dustin and Mike,' he said, pointing at each of them as he said their names.

As if it was the first she'd met them.

Lucas gave a short wave from his spot on the floor, face expressionless and standoffish, which, if El was honest with herself, she'd been expecting.

'Hey', Dustin said grinning at her, showing off his new pair of teeth.

El found herself smiling back despite the nerves rolling around in her stomach.

It was the same cheeky grin she remembered from before, the one that had always made her feel included and warm inside.

Her eyes flitted to Mike, the person she was most worried about meeting again, who hadn't said anything, who just kept staring at her from his spot on the couch.

Dustin elbowed him, laughing slightly.

'Earth to Mike'.

Mike startled, and looked around, catching all of them staring at him, amused, except for the girl who was looking at him, eyebrows drawn together.

Great, Wheeler, now she'll think you're a total idiot, he groaned inwardly, heating rushing to his cheeks.

El smiled inwardly at the sight, warmth rushing into her chest, ridiculously happy that he hadn't grown out of that habit.  
'Sorry, I'm Mike.'

'Nice to meet you', El said, speaking for the first time, her voice soft and high.

There was silence for a moment before Dustin spoke up, always eager to meet new people.

'So, how long have you been living with Will here?'

Will and El exchanged looks, before El answered timidly.

'Three years.'  
'Why, what happened to your parents?' Lucas asked abruptly, eyes narrowed.

The boys shot him bewildered looks which he answered with a shrug.

El tugged on the sleeve of her hoody to avoid looking at their faces.

'I never had any.'

'Oh', Lucas said, scratching his neck guiltily.  
'Idiot,' Dustin muttered, lightly kicking him in the side.

El shrugged again, not meeting their eyes.

'So you'll be starting school with us on Monday?' Mike asked, excited at the prospect.

Will shook his head, glancing at El, as he saw her eyes shifting towards her bedroom, knowing through the link that she was barely holding it together.

'I'll be coming back to school but El is home-schooled by Mom'.

'Really, argh, you're so lucky', Dustin told her, enviously.

  
Mike deflated slightly, shoulders slumping, his smile slipping from his mouth.

'Why?' he blurts out.

'Um...'Will said, awkwardly, not sure how much El would be comfortable with them knowing.

 _It's okay. Just tell them_. El told him, feeling him hesitate.

Will cleared his throat.

'El grew up in a place that wasn't....it was bad. The people who had custody of her before Mom and Hopper adopted her weren't nice people, and they kept her locked inside all the time. She didn't go to school like we did, or see any other people for a really long time, so she needs a little help sometimes when she doesn't understand things we'd think were common knowledge. She's at a tenth grade level now, but she still struggles socially, so she's going to keep being home-schooled till she feels ready.'

The boys stared at Will for a moment, stunned silent by what he'd just told them.

Mike looked up at El through his eyelashes, and sees her staring at her feet, cheeks slightly pink with embarrassment.  
He wanted to tell her not to be embarrassed, that it wasn't her fault, and felt the bizarre urge to get up and hug her, which was ridiculous, and he really didn't think she'd appreciate it considering he'd met her five minutes ago.

'What are you doing today?' Will asked to fill the suddenly awkward silence.

El looked up, and lifted one shoulder in a shrug again.

'Not sure.'

'Was there anything you wanted to see when you were here last? That you didn't get to then?'

'I didn't really get to see anything last time. I don't what there is to see', El told him, brushing back the hair that had fallen into her eyes and tucking it behind her ear.

'Wait, you've been to Hawkins before?' Lucas sat up straighter, surprised.

El turned and smiled at him sadly, eyes suddenly dull.

'For a week, four years ago.'

'You could hang out with us if you want', Dustin suddenly piped up, face eager, 'we're going to the comic book store that just opened up a couple of months ago. It's really cool, and they have heaps of stuff to look at.'

Mike felt heat rise to his cheeks in embarrassment and sent Dustin a dirty look.

Dustin blinked at him and mouthed a confused 'What?'

Way to make us look like total dorks, Dustin, he thought grumpily.

'Dustin, I don't think she wants to go....' Mike trailed off as he glanced up at El, heart skipping a beat at the wide smile on her face.

'Do you think they would have the new X-men? I've been dying to read it for months but it was sold out everywhere in New York', she blurted out excitedly, making them all blink at her, except Will who laughed at her enthusiasm.

'Yeah, they got some more in last week,' Dustin told her, sending Mike a smug look that he didn't notice, too focused on El.

'You read comic books?' Mike asked, incredulously, eyes wide.

'All the time. I really love the X-men and Guardians of the Galaxy but Jean Grey's my favourite.'

'Mine too', Mike told her, ignoring the looks Dustin and Lucas were exchanging next to him, Dustin grinning widely and Lucas fluttering his eyelashes and making kissy noises.

'So you're coming with us, El?' Will asked, watching Mike's reaction, fighting the grin that to threatened to erupt on his face.

Play it cool, Will, he thought.

El's face fell slightly.

'What time? Mom and Dad took the car and all the boxes with my clothes are still in it.'

'It opens late on a Saturday so we'll probably head there at 1', Dustin told her, glancing at his watch.

'Plenty of time. Come on, El, come with us.' Will whined at her playfully, giving her puppy dog eyes.

El thought for a minute, before nodding.

'Okay, I'll come'.

'Yes', Dustin said, fist pumping the air.

'Cool', Mike said, softly, giving her a small smile.

She looked towards the hallway and took a step back.

'I'm going to see if Jonathan's awake, see if I can get him to make us some breakfast while we're waiting. I'm starving. See you in a bit.'

'Wait, El is that my hoody?' Will shouted after her suddenly.

El swung back, looking down at the hoody she was wearing, face scrunched up.

'Yes...' she said, slowly, widening her eyes at Will.

 _What's wrong with me wearing your hoody? I wear them all the time_ , she sent down the link, confusion coating her words.

_Before their memories were erased Dustin would not stop talking about the time you 'tried to get naked' in front of them. Let's see if we can jog their memories._

El's eyes widened at the suggestion and then raised an eyebrow at him, plucking at the material of the hoody with her hand.

'Why, do you want it back?'

'Yeah, I was thinking of wearing it today', he said, crossing his arms over his chest, as the other boys watched the exchange.

El rolled her eyes at him, reaching down and grasping the bottom of the hoody and began to pull it up.

'Oh my god, oh my god', Dustin muttered, eyes comically wide as he stared at her.

Lucas's mouth hung open, eyes skiting around the room, not sure where to look. Mike mouth was suddenly dry and sweat began to form on his neck as he watched her reveal inches of smooth skin.

El yanked the hoody over her head, revealing a long sleeved Ramones shirt that obviously belonged to Jonathan and a pair of Star Wars boxers.

'Here', she said, throwing the clothing at Will, not looking at the boys reaction, feeling the iron grip she'd been holding on her emotions finally beginning to slip and hurried out of the room, closing the door that separated the living room from their bedrooms softly.

Will smirked at the boys, eyebrows disappearing behind the hair that fell across his forehead.

'Seriously, guys,' he laughed, 'when you did you all become such pervs? What did you think, she didn't have any other clothes and was going to give you a strip-tease? You wish.'

Mike blushed bright red, and refused to meet Will's amused eyes.

'I wasn't even looking.'

Will laughed again and Lucas rolled his eyes at him, leaning over to shove him back onto the couch.

'Sure you weren't, Mike.'

'I wasn't!'

'Guys, I really thought she was going to get naked. I mean, she just...' Dustin mimicked pulling his shirt over his head, before pausing, a frown forming on his face and a dazed look growing in his eyes.

'You good, Dustin?' Will asked, feeling hope suddenly rise in him.

Was it actually working? Already?

Dustin shook his head, curls bouncing, and the look faded from his eyes.

'Yeah, fine', he told them, but they could still here the confusion in his voice.

Will, at the moment, finally truly felt they'd done the right thing coming back and he was certain he would get his friends back.  
No matter how long it took.


	3. Chapter 3

El quietly shut the door behind her the shaking, that she'd been holding back since she'd walked back into the house and found them just sitting there, rocking her tiny frame.

Her breath sped up, coming in sharp, unnatural gasps, ears ringing loudly, as her heart raced in her chest, banging painfully hard against her ribs. She wrapped her arms around her thin body, suddenly afraid that if she didn't hold herself together she'd break into a million pieces, like that day at the school.

El gasped, chest tightening, unable to catch her breath as spots danced in front of her eyes. She stumbled to Jonathan's room, scrambling at the door handle desperately with sweaty, fumbling hands and pushed the door open.

She stared blankly at the three people tangled together on the bed, not quite knowing what she's seeing, but quickly pulls the door closed, barely hearing their loud, panicked swearing through the buzzing in her ears.

Her knees buckled and she slid down the door, feeling like she's vibrating she's shaking so hard. A loud, keening noise spills from her lips and she's distantly surprised she's crying.

Hot tears scald her cheeks as she curls into a tight ball, her face pressed against her knees, desperately trying to remember the breathing techniques that Joyce had taught her through the years to deal with these attacks. She can't focus though, thoughts racing, the only clear thing she can focus on is the three words screaming at her over and over.

_They don't remember, they don't remember, they don't remember..._

The confirmation is like a punch in the stomach, and it's like all the air has been forced from her lungs, and she can't get it back.

She can feel Will's mind probing desperately at hers, and his voice in her mind, sounding as if it's far away.

_El, what's going on? I'm freaking out here. Talk to me._

El frantically blocked him, not wanting him to know and come searching her, for the others to see her like this.

The door behind her suddenly banged open and Jonathan filled the frame, his dark eyes slightly wild, hair sticking up in every direction, his shirt-inside out and his jeans buttoned wrong, obviously hastily pulled on.

'Okay, what you just saw...' he trailed off as his eyes land on El curled up on the floor, trembling and gasping.

'Shit', he panicked, and scooped up her up into his arms easily, carrying her into his room and kicking the door closed behind him.

He sat her down gently on the end of his bed, and knelt in front of her.

'El, look at me', he said, cupping her wet cheeks in his hands and pulling her face up to his so her brown eyes, so glazed over with fear and pain that his heart ached, met his.

'...they're here...they don't remember...' she strangled out, chest heaving.

'Baby, I need to you to look at me. Now breathe, in and out, remember. Like we practiced. In for three and out for three', he said, taking deep even breaths for her to copy.

El clutched his hand so tight her fingers went white, and she was sure she was hurting him, but Jon didn't even wince, squeezing back just as hard to ground her.

She swallowed back the tightness squeezing her throat, and forced herself to copy his breaths, in and out, Jonathan's voice soothing and encouraging beneath the pounding of her heart in her ears.

As the minutes passed she slowly felt the panic begin to fade, heart slowing, breath evening out and the tears trickling to a halt. Jonathan let out a relieved breath as her breath evened out, and pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back in comforting circles.

When El had first come back, Jonathan hadn't known how to act around, feeling awkward and worried he would scare her with every movement. But El had never been afraid of him, and he'd often woken up to her, and sometimes Will as well, crammed together fast asleep in his cramped bedroom after a nightmare, as if she was confident he, and only he, could keep the monsters and bad people away.

El relaxed against him, nuzzling into his neck, her face uncomfortably hot and sticky with tears. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, sniffling.

'Sorry', she said, softly, voice still trembling slightly.

'You should be', he joked weakly, pulling her in closer, arms tightening, 'you almost gave me a heart attack.'

El pulled back, looking up startled and he chuckled.

'Just an expression'. 'Oh', she nodded, tugging on her shirt, suddenly embarrassed.

'You okay?' El hesitated, before shaking her head.

'They're out there. Lucas, Dustin and Mike. Will....he invited them over. They don't...they don't remember me. I know...I mean I knew they didn't, you all told me what happened but I still...'

'It's different actually seeing it', Jonathan said eyes soft and understanding.

She nodded, wiping the wetness of her cheeks.

'Is that why you came in here? You knew you were going to have an attack?'

'Yeah, but I was also going to try to con you into making breakfast. But you were...busy', she said, for lack of a better word, eyes widening as she remembered what she'd walked in on.

Also, more specifically, who she'd walked in on him with.

'Nancy and Steve?' she asked, eyebrows raised.

Jonathan flushed, colour rushing up his neck and into his cheeks.

'Uh...about that...what you saw...I mean we were just...'

El rolled her eyes and reached over to squeeze his arm comfortingly.

'Jon, Mom has given me the talk and I've walked in on Will and Cam enough times to know what you were doing. Don't worry, it's fine by me. I won't tell anyone.'

Jonathan looked at her, shifting anxiously.

'El, I just don't want you to be freaked out...'

'Seriously, Jon, it's cool. As long as you're happy, I'm happy.'

He just stared at her, astounded, redness slowly fading from his cheeks.

'Most people wouldn't be so accepting of our...relationship.'

El shrugged.

'Most people wouldn't accept a telekinetic girl who grew up in a lab and can lifts vans and melt people's brains with her mind as a sister. Or Will liking boys. We're not most people. We're better'.

He smiled at her, and reached up to ruffle her hair gently.

'You're one of a kind you know that, kid?'

'So I've been told. So...breakfast? I really am hungry.'

He laughed and rose to his feet, pulling her up with him.

'Okay, I'll make something for breakfast. Go wash yourself face and I'll get started'.

El nodded, and turned to the leave, as he quickly fixed his shirt and pants.

'Jonathan?' she said, turning back. He looked up expectantly. 'Thank you.' He smiled at her. 'You're welcome'.


	4. Chapter 4

El walked out of the hall into the kitchen that sits off the living room and finds Jonathan already placing chocolate chip pancakes on a serving plate on the table, the boys crowded around it, practically drooling.

She rolled her eyes, muttering 'boys' under her breath before taking the seat next to Mike gingerly, muscles aching slightly after the panic attack.

Will's mind brushes against hers, and she sighs, looking up where he sits across from her, eyes soft as he took in the bloodshot eyes she hadn't been able to completely wash away.

_You okay?_

_I am now_ , she reassured him, as she took a couple of pancakes and placed them on the plate Jonathan handed to her with a comforting wink.

The boys quickly filled their own plates and dug in.

'What no Eggos today, Jon? El may just cry', Will teased.

El kicked him hard under the table, making him jump and jolt the table. He narrowed his eyes at her, before turning to the others, smirking.

'El's obsessed with Eggos. She can eat a whole box in a day.'

_My Mom, she's a pretty awesome cook. She could make you whatever you like._

_Eggos?_

Mike blinked, coming back to the room, stunned.

What the hell was that? he thought as the voice faded from his mind, stomach suddenly jittery and nauseous.

Now he was dreaming about the girl while he was awake? Bloody hell, it was official. He was going crazy. There was no other explanation.

He tuned back into the conversation, trying to ignore the fear thrumming through him.

'Hey, I do eat other food, you know?' El exclaimed, glaring at Will, crossing her arms over her chest.

'Only when we make you', Jonathan grinned, holding his spatula up in surrender when she turned her glare on him.

'I'm surrounded by traitors. No loyalty in this house, I swear'.

Mike looked at her face and was surprised when he saw her eyes were rimmed with red.

'Hey, have you been cr....', he began and blinked when she turned to him, surprised at how close she was, their noses almost brushing.

He swallowed, and opened his mouth to repeat his question when a door slamming made them both jump, pulling back and glancing towards the stairs, both their cheeks red.

'Kids, where are you?' A familiar female voice called up.

'Up here, Mom'. Will called down, looking up from his own pancakes.

They heard two sets of feet and low voices coming up the stairs before Joyce and Jim Hopper emerged at the top of the stairs, wide smiles on theirs face, a set of photographs in Joyce's hand, her belly a gentle curve.

Joyce paused mid-step, glancing at the boys one by one before she let out a loud shout, and rushed forward, leaning forward awkwardly to hug each of them.

'Oh my god, look at all of you. You're so grown up. Oh, I think I'm going to cry.'

As the boys looked, slightly terrified, at Hopper he chuckled, reaching out to shake each of their hands. 'Hello Hopper...I mean, sir...' Lucas said, accepting the hand-shake.

'Don't worry, boys. It's just the hormones. She cries at anything nowadays.'

Joyce elbowed him, but laughed, and waved the photographs in her hands.

'I have photos of the baby. The clinic printed some off.'

El came to her feet excitedly, and rushed forward, skirting around the boys, and looked down at the photos.

'Aw, it's gotten so big', she said, tracing the curve of the baby's profile lovingly.

Joyce's ran a hand over her daughter's hair gently, taking in the dark circles and her blood-shot eyes.

'You alright, honey?' she whispered, glancing at the boys, who are talking to Hopper, pointedly.

She nods, but Joyce can tell that she's lying.

'You weren't in bed when we left', Hopper said, coming over, having seen their exchange.

'I couldn't sleep so I took Yoda for a walk', she said, gesturing at the dog who sat near the counter in the kitchen, hoping for some scraps from Jonathan.

Hopper studied her face for a second before giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

'Leave a note next time, okay, kid. I know you can handle yourself but we'd still like to know where you are.'

'Okay', she said, giving them a apologetic smile.

'Any idea what it is yet?' Jonathan asked, taking one of the photos and studying it with a smile.

Hopper shook his head.

'No, it'll still be a few months before we know'.

'I'm still betting it's a girl. What are the chances of another boy?' Will said confidently.

Dustin turned to El who was leaning her head against Joyce as she pointed out what different parts were.

'What's your guess El?'

'Oh, El's not allowed to bet', Will said, laughing at their confused expressions, 'She's always right. It's like a gift so it wouldn't be fair if she bet.'

El stuck her tongue at him, but silently agreed with him.

It wouldn't be fair because she did know what the sex was. She'd known from the moment she'd sensed that Joyce was pregnant, weeks before she'd announced it to the family.

And Will couldn't be more wrong, she thought, almost bursting with happiness at the thought of the baby brother who was due in five months.

'So what are you guys doing today?' Joyce asked, taking the cup of tea Jonathan held out to her with a wrinkled nose.

God, she missed coffee.

'We're going to the comic book store that just opened up. El was just waiting on her clothes....' Mike said, gesturing where El had just been standing, blinking when he saw the spot suddenly empty.

The front door slammed shut downstairs and the Byer-Hoppers laughed.

'Well, she's eager. She should be up and ready in a few minutes', Hopper laughed, sipping his coffee quietly.

///////

A couple of hours later they all walked towards Dustin's car, talking amongst themselves.

Mike couldn't stop himself peeking at El, who looked pretty in a long-sleeved pink shirt that bared her collarbone, faded jeans and a white jacket.

El looked up and caught Mike staring at her, his head snapping immediately away, and she could see the colour rising at the back of his neck.

She smiled as she reached the car but didn't let him see it, ducking her head away.

'Shot-gun', Lucas suddenly yelled, making El flinch, as he ran to the front passenger seat.

'Hey, we're with a lady, Sinclair. Let her choose first.'

El frowned when Dustin and Lucas swung their attention to her, not really understanding what was happening.

She looked over at Will on the other side of the car.

'Shot-gun? Like this?' she asked, putting her fingers into the shape of a gun.

Will shook his head, but then paused thoughtfully, as the boys watched.

Mike exchanged surprised looks with Lucas and Dustin at the realisation that a phrase that they used pretty much any time they were in the car together was a complete mystery to El.

'Yeah, you're right a shotgun is a weapon, but it's also a way to say that you want the front seat.'

'Oh,' she said, quietly, thinking it over, before looking at Lucas.

'Lucas can have the front seat. I don't mind.'

'Yes', Lucas crowed, smirking smugly at Dustin over the roof of the car, who rolled his eyes irritably.

'Whatever, man. Just trying to be a gentleman', he said as they climbed inside.

Mike hesitated in front of the door, then turned to El.

'I'll sit in the middle so you can have the window if you want.'

El cocked her head at him.

'Why?' Mike shrugged, trying desperately not to blush under her intense stare.

'I've seen it all before. It's only fair you get the window.'

She smiled brightly at him.

'Thank you, Mike.' He shrugged, biting his lip to hold back the grin threatening at his lips, something close to giddiness running through him, as he squeezed in next to Will.

It was a very uncomfortable ride but it was worth it to see her fascinated expression as she sat with her face pretty much pressed to the glass, taking in everything.

The car ride felt way too short and five minutes later they were climbing out of the car in front of a small store in the middle of the main street.

El came to an abrupt halt as she looked at the tiny, dark store, which was just big enough for three lines of shelves holding comic books and memorabilia from a variety of films and comics, and felt her breath hitch.

She knew intellectually that it was nothing like the cold, empty room Papa and the Bad Men had locked in when she wouldn't do what they wanted her to, but it was all she could see.

She stepped off the sidewalk back onto the road, and gave the boys a weak smile as she shook her head.

'I'm going to wait out here.'

Dustin eyebrows furrowed.

'I thought you wanted to grab the new X-men?'

Will looked at the store for a moment before his face clears of confusion, his mouth forming an o.

He walked over and took her hand, squeezing gently.

'It's okay, El. I'll hold you're hand the whole time we're in there if you need me to but if you really don't want to go in that's fine too.'

He turned back to his friends and lowered his voice so the other people walking by wouldn't overhear.

'The people El lived with before used to lock in a closet for hours as a punishment. She's terrified of small spaces'.

Lucas looked at El blankly, taking in how pale her face is, before he spun on his heel, and marched into the store.

All the colour drained from Mike's face and he gaped at her, horrified.

What kind of monsters had she lived with that they could do that to a little girl?

Dustin stepped forward, and looped his arm through hers, straightening his shoulder with exaggerated pride.

'Come on, Princess El, if you come inside I promise to protect you', he said, pretending to unsheathe an imaginary sword and holding it forth.

El let out a shocked giggle, lip turning up into a half smile, as she shook her head.

Mike felt his face beginning to burn, his stomach churning uncomfortably, as his fingers curled into a fist, resisting the sudden urge to hit Dustin.

He took a shocked step back, relaxing his fists quickly before anyone else noticed.

What the hell? Was he jealous? Jealous of his best friend and a girl he'd only met that day?

His thoughts were interrupted as Lucas walked back out of the store, hands in his pockets.

'The owner said he'd open up the blinds so you can come in', he told them, gesturing behind him where the owner, a long-haired, squinty-eyed man who looked to be in his mid-forties yanked the blinds up, and stared at them through the windows.

El turned to Lucas, mouth slightly open. The light now pouring into the room made it look bigger, not as cramped, and she felt her breath came easier.

'Thank you', she whispered, and he shrugged, turning back towards the store.

'Whatever,' he muttered, uncomfortable with the grateful look on her face, and kicked the sidewalk, 'let's just go in already.'

They all filed in, Dustin and Lucas rushing over to flick through the piles of comics.

El paused next to where the owner stood, giving him a small smile. She thanked him and he smiled, leering at her.

'Anytime, sweet cheeks', he said, winking.

Mike's face scrunched up, sticking his tongue out slightly in disgust. Will glared at the man and threw his arm over El's shoulder, leading her away quickly.

'Stay away from that guy, he's a creep', he muttered to her and she nodded, eyes wide, and glanced nervously at the man as he walked back behind the counter with a careless shrug.

They were there an hour, and all left with a pile of comics each, El with the X-men issue she'd wanted, and had clutched to her chest happily when she'd found it.

They drove to Mike's house afterwards, with the promise of Karen Wheeler's cooking making Dustin drive a little faster than was probably legal.

They all walked through the front door, talking happily, as El looked around the familiar rooms, seeing how they'd changed over the years. Mike was suggesting that they go downstairs and take a turn on his new Atari he'd gotten for Christmas when a familiar voice suddenly called down the stairs.

'Mom, have you seen my NYU sweater? I can't find it.'

They all looked up as Nancy Wheeler, back from college for a few weeks just like Jonathon, hurried down the stairs. Nancy spotted them at the bottom of the stairs, and came to an abrupt halt, almost tripping down the stairs.

She stared at the group, her bulging eyes zeroing on El, who was looking back, face purposely blank. 'Eleven?' Nancy choked out, clutching the banister with both hands, her face pale.

El's mouth fell open in disbelief, her mask slipping.

Nancy remembered her?

'Nancy?'

'Oh my god,' she said, rushing forward, ignoring Mike's yelled 'hey!', as she accidentally knocked him into the wall, and yanked El into a hard hug.

'I can't believe it', she whispered, before glancing up nervously at the boys who all looked at them in varying degrees of surprise, except Will who just watched them, smiling.

'Wait, you two know each other?' Mike asked, suspiciously, glancing between the two of them.

Nancy panicked and thought quickly.

'Yeah, I met El when I stayed with Joyce and Hopper while touring NYU', she said, fast before grabbing El's arm, muttering a quiet 'Come on', and tugging her up the stairs, sweater completely forgotten.

El gave a quick wave, before she was pulled out of sight. Seconds later they heard a door slam shut.

'Uh...did Nancy just kidnap El?' Dustin asked, wide eyed.

'Eleven?' Lucas asked, face screwed up.

Will shrugged his shoulders.

'That's the name the people gave her'.

'That's so damn weird', Lucas muttered, shuddering, his eyes suddenly far away,

'Don't you think Mike?' Mike, however wasn't listening, distracted by the image flashing in his mind of the girl with the shaved head holding out her forearm where a tattooed 011 sat in dark ink.

_That's your name? Eleven?_

_Okay, well, my name's Mike, short for Michael. Maybe we could call you El, short for Eleven?_

'Mike, what's going on with you? You keep zoning out,' Lucas asked, waving his hand in front of Mike's face.

Mike blinks, shaking his head slightly, flushing when he sees them all staring at him.

Great, now you're even pretending that the girl from your dreams is Eleven, he thought. You need help, Wheeler. Serious, psychological help. And maybe a girlfriend. A real one.

'Come on', he said, gesturing towards the kitchen, 'let's get some lunch. El can come find us later.'

AN/ How's everyone liking the story so far? Please read and review.


	5. Chapter 5

Nancy closed the door behind her and spun around to face El where she stood, shifting awkwardly, uncomfortable, in the middle of the room, blinking at her.

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them quite knowing where to start. Questions that were building up quickly inside Nancy suddenly burst forth and she couldn't keep them back.

'I can't believe you're really here. When did you get back? How long have you been in Hawkins? Where did you go when you disappeared? Are you okay? Wait, was that you who came into Jonathan's room this morning?' she babbled quickly, her head spinning dizzily as she forgot to breathe.

El blinked at her, nose crinkling slightly at the onslaught of words.

Nancy shook her head and quickly walked to her bed, holding her head with a sigh. 'Head rush', she muttered, looking up as El gingerly sat down next to her, concerned.

Nancy studied the girl quietly, and slowly reached up, remembering how skittish she'd been about being touched when they'd first met, and touched her curls gently.

'You're hair is so pretty'.

'You cut yours', El said, simply, looking at the blunt edges that brushed Nancy's shoulders.

They both looked at each other before bursting into laughter, tears quickly rolling down their cheeks as the absurdness of the conversation.

'Okay, okay', Nancy gasped, holding up her hand, her stomach aching, trying to stop the laughter, 'serious talk now. Answer the questions.'

'Wait, but how do you remember me? The boys...' EL trailed off, face abruptly serious, laughter fading from her eyes.

Nancy shook her head, clutching her fingers together in her lap.

'They, the government people, didn't realise that I knew anything. They came and did whatever they did to the boys and Mom and Dad while I was away at a college tour, and when I came back it was like nothing had ever happened. Mike wasn't sad, he was back to how he was before, happy and being an annoying brother, and he never mentioned you. Whenever I'd bring it all up he'd just look at me blankly. He had no idea who you were.'

When El looked away suddenly, pretending to study Nancy's dresser, trying to hide the way her lip trembled, Nancy took her hand in hers, squeezing gently.

'Are you okay? I know it must be hard for you with...with how close you and Mike were. I can stop if you need me to?'

El shook her head, swallowing past the lump in her throat.

'Tell me.'

Nancy hesitated but then continued.

'I knew something was wrong and I called Jonathan. He told me what had happened, that the Hawkins lab people had somehow erased the boys memories of everything, that I had to act normal and never talk about it with anyone or they might come for me as well. And then he told me they were moving away before they could get to them too. But he never mentioned you'.

El grabbed Nancy's other hand quickly as she saw the betrayed look in her eyes, her lips pulled into a stiff line, and shook her head frantically.

'He couldn't. It was too dangerous. No-one could know that I was back, or where we were going. Hopper and Joyce knew as soon as I came back from the Upside Down that if they knew I was back they'd try and find me and take me back. It, I, had to be a secret. The only reason we're back is because they decided the experiment was a waste of time and money and they shut-down the labs. They're not looking for me anymore. Jonathan would've told you if he could.'

But Nancy was no longer focused on Jonathan not telling her, but a horrifying detail that El had just revealed.

'You were in that place for a whole year?' she whispered, hand pressed to her mouth, shuddering, suddenly chilled as she remembered the terror she had felt for weeks, months even, after she'd spent only ten minutes in that dark, cold place the monsters called home.

How had that poor girl survived an entire year?

El nodded slowly, eyes direct and matter-of-fact.

'Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Eleven. We tried to find you, I swear. Please don't think we didn't, that we just forgot about you. We tried for months to find a way to bring you back. Mike was frantic, going out everyday after school, sneaking out at nights. He barely slept or ate, he cried all the time and he'd wake up from nightmares whenever he did manage to get some sleep. It was like he was broken without you.'

El's eyes filled with tears at the thought of Mike in that pain, but blinked them way, holding up her hand to stop Nancy's panicked words.

'Nancy, it's okay. I believe you. Don't feel bad. None of you could've gotten me out. Only I could open up the portal, but I was too weak, my powers drained from killing the Demogorgon. It took me four tries, before I was strong enough to get back.'

Nancy couldn't help the guilt that still curled inside her, but changed the subject, seeing in Eleven's stubborn expression that to her it was done and finished with.

'Do you know how they erased the boys memories?' she asked, the thing she'd been questioning since that October day she'd come back and find her world completely changed.

El sighed, sadness causing her lip to curl down.

'I wasn't the only one. The only one they took, I mean. Hopper found out after the labs closed, and he was able to find some of the documents, that there were other kids like me, with different powers and abilities that they had stolen. In one of the documents from the Hawkins's lab that one of his old police friends sent to him it said that they used one of those kids to erase the memories of a few possible liabilities in town who had found out what they were doing, and may have exposed them. Dustin, Lucas, and Mike.'

Nancy was too shocked to speak, thinking of the poor other kids and what had happened to them.

El shifted in the silence that fell between them and quickly changed the subject to lighten the mood.

'So....you, Jonathan and Steve, huh?' Nancy blushed prettily, burying her face in her hands, giggling uncontrollably, not sure how to handle this conversation.

'Yeah'.

'How long?'

Nancy frowned.

'How long...? Oh, how long have we been in a relationship?'

She nodded yes and Nancy smiled sweetly.

'Since just after you disappeared'

'Does everyone know? Or is it a secret?'

Nancy shook her head, pulling a pillow into her lap.

'No, all the families know. They were really shocked to begin with, they still don't quite fully understand it, but they're really supportive. Steve's family threw a fit, and don't talk to him anymore but that's not a huge loss', Nancy said, eyes narrowing at the thoughts of the bigoted jerks.

'Why wasn't I told?' El asked, frowning, a little hurt.

Nancy's eyes widened and she quickly answered, not wanting to hurt the girl's feelings.

'Jonathan probably thought you wouldn't be able understand how it would all work when you first came back and didn't want to confuse you, but then it was going on for so long and you still didn't know that he was just too embarrassed to bring it up I guess.'

'Yeah, because finding out by walking in on you all is less embarrassing?' El joked, raising an eyebrow, causing Nancy to laugh.

'Well you got me there. I'm glad I can talk to you about this, El, that you're not weirded out because we're...' she trailed off, her smile mysterious, like she had a secret she was holding back.

'You're what?' she asked, curiously.

'We're actually going to get married,' she said, pulling a necklace out of her shirt and revealing a simple gold ring with a small diamond that sparkled in the sunlight coming through the window.

'What?' she said, mouth falling open, excitement rising in her, as she grabbed the ring to look at it.

Nancy laughed, face glowing.

'I know. It's crazy right? We're going to announce it tomorrow night while everyone's together at the party so keep it a secret.'

She mimed locking her lips shut and throwing away the key.

Nancy giggled and gave her a gentle hug.

'I'm glad you're back, Eleven'.

'El.' she told her. 'El', she repeated, smiling, before it faltered slightly.

'Are you going to help the boys get their memories back?' she asked, quietly, not wanting to put pressure on the girl.

She felt El stiffen in her arms for a second before she relaxed again.

'I'm going to try.'

'Thank you. It'd be nice to have the real Mike back. Love-sick and everything.'

El came down the basement stairs an hour later, having spent more time talking to Nancy about her plans for the wedding, something she'd never really been too before because Joyce and Hopper hadn't gotten marriage at City Hall in New York, to find the boys crowded around the small television, cheering eagerly as Will and Lucas battled it out playing Mario Bros.

She sat down on the ground next to me, watching quietly. It was a few moments before Mike looked up and was startled to find her there, giggling quietly as they screamed abuse and taunted each other.

'Oh hey, everything alright?' Mike said, catching the attention of the other boys who turned towards her, pausing the game.

'Yeah, we were just talking. Girl stuff', she said, using the excuse that Nancy had told her to, claiming that the boys would immediately stop asking questions, terrified of the dreaded "girl stuff".

They all nodded hastily, and turned back to the screen and El laughed inwardly, keeping her face purposely straight, as Mike handed her a sandwich that they had saved for her.

They all played the Atari for a few hours, taking turns, Lucas kicking all their butts every time, until Karen yelled down the stairs to tell them Jonathan was there to take Will and El home. They quickly grabbed their jackets, and the comic books from Dustin's car, and said goodbye as they both climbed into Jonathan's car.

Jonathan rolled his window down before sticking his head out, and yelling over the music blaring from his radio.

'See you all tomorrow at the party?'

The boys all nodded and he pulled his head back into the car, quickly putting the car into reverse.

El and Will gave them a quick wave as they turned the corner and then they were gone.

'I better head off, as well. Mom will be pissed if I'm late for dinner again' Lucas told them with a quick wave, walking quickly towards his house. 'See you later.'

They waved at him, before Mike turned to Dustin who was grinning at him, a speculative look in his eyes.

'What?'

'So El's pretty cool, huh?'

Mike pushed him, cheeks flushed in the dim light, the sun having set almost an hour ago.

'Shut up, Dustin.'

'Whatever man, I saw the way you looked at her,' he laughed, walking backwards to his car with a smug look on his face, 'you can't fool me.'

Mike gave him the finger as he drove off, and he wouldn't admit it, not even to himself, that he couldn't wait till the party tomorrow night to see her again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey wonderful readers,  
> This chapter is more of a filler than anything but I hope you like it anyways. There are still plenty more chapters to come so stick around :)

Chapter 6  
Will glanced over at El for what felt like the hundredth time since they'd sat at the kitchen table an hour ago, taking a sneaky break from the party preparation Joyce had kept them busy with the whole day. 

He studied her pale face, the dark smudges underneath her eyes betraying the anxiety she was trying to hide, but was beating at him through the link like blood under a bruise, incessant and slightly painful. 

Her hand was flying over the art paper in front of her, forehead folded in concentration, as she drew almost feverishly. 

El had come to him earlier that asking if he would come draw with her later, her tone casual but her eyes almost begging, something she hadn't needed to do in months. 

They'd both begun drawing together after she'd returned from the Upside Down, after Hopper had spoken to a psychiatrist, speaking hypothetically of course, who'd told him that children who have experienced unusual trauma often found it comforting to purge the things they have seen through artistic means. 

Over the years it had become there own personal form of therapy. El had only been able to draw stick figures and simple shapes in the beginning, but she'd quickly improved and was now almost as good as Will. 

It was clear to Will that El needed these few hours of therapy, had been expecting her to approach him all day after he'd woken that morning to find her fast asleep on his bedroom floor, cocooned in her comforter, tear tracks clear on her cheeks.

The Christmas lights he still hung on his walls as a kind of monster-warning system, something they'd all come up with to chase the nightmares away, had been on, shining brightly in the pre-dawn light. 

Obviously, seeing the boys had affected her a lot worse than he'd realised. 

'El...'

She looked up at him distractedly, reaching for the grey pencil Will had just put down, and looking back down at her drawing, shading something on her page. 

'Hmm...?'

'How are you feeling? After yesterday I mean.' 

El lifted her head and stared at him as if he just asked something monumentally stupid, before lifting her drawing and turning it towards him. 

He flinched when he studied the almost perfect image of the Demogorgon pinned to what he recognises as his old science class room blackboard, mouth open and screaming. 

'I guess that answers that question' he muttered his breath, looking down at his own drawing of his old fort, Castle Byers, in the Upside Down, slugs climbing all over it. 

'It's going to get easier. And it's going to work. I know it is. I think Dustin and Mike have already begun to remember.' 

El didn't answer, keeping her eyes on her drawing, but he can tell she's not actually seeing it, her fingers clenched so tight on the grey pencil that Will was worried the lead would snap. 

'We all knew this would be hard but...' 

'How is it hard for you? You don't have to lie, or pretend. They all remember you,' she snapped, throwing the pencil down and glaring at him. 

Will stared at her, stunned by how hard her voice is. Sweet El who never got mad at anyone, was always so calm and even-tempered.

El felt his shock through the link and slumped in her chair, pushing the drawing away, disgusted with herself.

She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself tightly. 

'Sorry, Will, that was mean. I didn't mean it. I'm just so tired', she said, her voice wavering. 

Will was silent for a minute, seeing the devastated look on her face, and sighed, nudging his chair closer and draping his arm over her shoulders, leaning his head on hers. 

'It's alright, El. You don't have to apologise.' 

'Yes, I do. I'm acting like a bitch.' 

Will laughed, slightly shocked by her use of the word. 

'Okay, maybe a little' he admitted, causing El to look up, a little worried he'd be mad. 

Will knocked his head lightly against hers, rolling his eyes as if to say 'idiot'. 

'Any particular reason why?' 

She was silent for a moment, chewing her lip. 

'What if it's my fault?' she said so quietly he had lean closer to hear her. 

'What?' he asked, bewildered. 

'Everything. That the Bad Men came after the boys, erased or blocked, or whatever they did to their memories. If they'd never met me then nothing would've happened to them. Every time I think about seeing them yesterday, them looking at me a stranger, I want to cry, but it's my fault'. 

'It's not your fault. It isn't, El,' Will said, defending her, when she looked at him doubtfully, 'it's the Bad Men's fault, not yours. If you'd never met them they'd all probably be dead, and I'd still be stuck in the Upside Down if I'd somehow managed to hide from the Demogorgon. Stop thinking like that, okay?' 

She looked down, blinking back tears, and swinging her feet slightly underneath the table.

'And they will remember you, I promise. We'll help them remember, no matter what it takes,' he promised, voice determined. 

El tilted her head down to rest it on his shoulder, sighing. 

'Thanks Will. I'm glad you're my brother.' 

'The feelings mutual, except you know, you as a sister', he said, frowning at his awkward phrasing. 

'Hey, you two, your Mom wants you to start getting ready', Hopper said, as he walked into the room, looking very uncomfortable in a pair of slacks and white button up shirt. 

Will whistled at him and he narrowed his eyes, mock-glaring, pointing a finger at him. 

'Laugh it up, kid, but you're Mom's laid out the same kind of clothes for you', he said, chuckling as Will groaned loudly. 

El got up from the table, picking up her drawing to add to the pile she kept locked away in her room, and went to pass Hopper in the hall, who stopped her with a gentle hand on her head. 

She looked up at him, expectantly, meeting his concerned eyes. 

'Are you going to be alright tonight, kiddo? With all these people around.' 

El lifted her chin and nodded. 

'Yeah, I'll be fine.' 

'We have an escape plan, just in case.. Remember, El, the normal signal', Will said, scratching his ear dramatically and crossing his eyes. 

El giggled, and Hopper laughed, ruffling Will's hair.

'Yeah, because that's subtle. Now hurry up and get dressed before your Mum comes up and kill us all.' 

El hurried past Will to her room at the end of the hall, actually excited at the thought of a party. And she'd get to see the boys, something that made her happy no matter how much it might hurt later.  
//////////

Mike stood behind his parents as they knocked on the door, the sound of laughter and loud music coming through the door. He shifted impatiently, stilling when his Mom sent him a narrowed-eyed look, just before the door opened revealing Joyce in a pretty red dress, her stomach pushing firmly against the material. 

Karen gaped at her, the dessert dish in her hand tipping over so far Nancy hastily put her hand under it. 

'Joyce, oh my god, look at you! Why didn't you tell me on the phone?' she said, pushing forward and giving Joyce a hug and kiss, reaching down to rub her belly. 

'I think that's Mom's way of saying congratulations', Nancy laughed. 

She stepped inside, looking pretty in a pink dress, her arm tucked in Steve's who had barely changed at all, his hair still defying all rules of gravity, and was dressed in a dress-shirt and tie and a pair of black slacks.  
Joyce laughed, brown eyes dancing. 

'For this exact reason. I wanted to see you're face.' 

'I'm so happy for you. How far along are you?' 

Joyce glanced at Ted, who was looking bored with the conversation, and gave him a polite smile. 

'Jim's in the kitchen if you'd like to go join him, Ted.' 

Ted nodded, giving a tight lipped smile, appreciating the suggestion as the escape it was, and walked quickly towards where Joyce was pointing after giving his wife a quick peck on the cheek. 

El passed him on the way out, dodging him quickly as he sped past, a bowl of chips in her hands. 

Mike blinked at her, lost for words. 

She was in a pretty purple party dress with black tights and sparkly silver shoes, her hair held back with a few sparkly clips. She looked pretty, like one of the girls at his school or on the television. 

'El, sweetie, have you met Karen and Holly?' 

El looked up from placing the bowl on the dining room table, and smiled shyly, coming over slowly. 

'We met briefly yesterday when Jonathan came to pick them up', Karen told Joyce, smiling at El kindly. 

'It's nice to officially meet you, El, Mike hasn't stopped talking about you all day. I'm Karen and this is my daughter, Holly.'

Mike's felt his face heat up in embarrassment. 

'Mom', he muttered, staring down at his feet. 

Steve elbowed him, laughing. 

'Play it cool', Wheeler,' he told Mike who sent him an annoyed glare.

El flicked Mike an amused look before crouching down in front of Holly, smiling.

'Hello, Holly. I'm El. Do you want to come up and see my room? I think I've got a few old toys you might like to play with.' 

Holly looked up at her Mom, who smiled encouragingly, and slowly took the hand El held out. 

'Okay,' she said, smiling brightly. 

'I'll come with if that's okay. You'll be alright for five minutes right, won't cause too much trouble?' Nancy asked, raising an eyebrow at Steve. 

Steve put his hand to his chest, pouting in mock-offence. 

'You have so much trust in me, babe.' 

'I know you', she said, smiling and giving him a peck on the lips, 'go find Jonathan and behave.' 

'Yes, ma'am', he saluted her, winking at El who giggled, taking Holly's hand and pulling her up the stairs, followed by Nancy. 

'The boys are all upstairs in Will's room, Mike. It's the first one on the right', Joyce told him.

Mike bolted up the stairs, following the loud voices he could hear talking excitedly and peered into Will's room, knocking loudly. 

'Wow, this is pretty cool', he said, as the boys all turned towards him.

'Mike! Thanks. It took all of the first night we were here, I didn't get to sleep until five, but it was so worth it', Will said, grinning at  
he looked at the map of Middle Earth that he had painstakingly painted when they'd first came to set up almost a week ago.

Will's room was large, but sparsely furnished, with a bed, desk and bedside table the only furniture in the room. It was painted a hunter green, except for the wall with the map which was an orange that clashed horribly with everything else but Will didn't seem to mind. 

On the opposite wall Will had hung old Christmas lights that blinked on and off above his bed, lighting up his dark blue bedspread. Comics were scattered in piles all around that seemed to have no organisation whatsoever, and he had half a dozen of photos with a boy with brown hair and blue eyes that had to be Cam stuck to his walls with tape.

'It's brilliant. Can you do one in my room?' Dustin asked, rubbing a hand over the wall in awe. 

Will laughed. 

'Sure, why not. I just finished a mural for El the other night, so I'm totally free now.' 

'What'd you paint in El's room?' Lucas asked, curiously from his spot perched on the edge of the bed. 

'Let's go to her room and I'll show you. She won't mind', he said, pointing his thumb over his back for them to follow him.

They walked to the last door in the hall, the door wide open and could see the three girls sitting cross-legged on El's bed, talking quietly as Holly clutched a white stuffed rabbit in her arms, looking up at El adoringly. 

'Hey El, can we come in? I told the boys about the mural and they want to check it out.' 

El nodded, waving them in.

Nancy glanced around at the four boys tried to squeeze into the small room and looked down at Holly. 

'Hey Hol, let's go downstairs and get a soda?' she said, knowing the promise of the usually forbidden drink would get her sister moving quickly. 

'Yes!' she cried, scrambling to her feet excitedly, tucking the rabbit under her arm and racing out the door. 

Nancy followed behind at a more sedate pace with a resigned sigh, waving goodbye to them. 

They all glanced around El's room curiously. 

It was painted a pale blue, and all her furniture was white. Her bed was pressed right up to the curtain-less window that looked out onto the pond. Her bookcase was crammed with books and comics alike, with a few X-men action figures sitting proudly side by side. Christmas lights matching the ones in Will's room hung over her bed, shining brightly. However, it was the mural on the wall that had all the boys staring. 

'Wait, is that...' Mike began, surprised. 

'Mirkwood,' Will confirmed, nodding as he sat beside El on the bed, 'El really liked the woods when she first arrived, and I owed her a late birthday present.' 

Another lie, El thought, guiltily. She'd asked for the woods to be painted on her wall because it was where she'd met Lucas, Dustin and Mike on that rainy day four years ago. It was the first place she'd felt truly safe.

'When was you're birthday?' Dustin asked, raising his eyebrows. 

El shared a significant look with Will, who was looking sheepish, before answering. 

'November 7th'.

'But it's February', Lucas said, frowning. 

'Like I said late', Will laughed. 

'Boys....and El', Joyce called up, 'come down, dinners ready'.

'Yes, food!' Dustin crowed, racing out of the room, while the others followed laughing. 

After filling their plates all the teenagers, and younger adults, sat on the floor in the downstairs living room to eat, music pumping from the stereo, while the parent's claimed the kitchen.

The song 'Footloose', suddenly came on and Steve jumped to his feet eagerly, eyes bright. 

'Come on, Nance, Jonathan, dance with me?' he said, jumping up and down like a child. 

'Uh...no way, I'm quite comfortable here', Nancy said, snuggling into Jonathan's chest. 

'Oh, come on', he whined, looking at Jonathan pleadingly. 

Jonathan laughed, shaking his head. 

'Sorry, man, you're on your own.' 

'Party poopers', he said, sticking his tongue out before spinning towards El who sits between Will and Mike quietly. 

'El will dance with me, won't you?' he said, holding out his hand, wriggling his eyebrows, pouting at her.

El stared at his hand for a second before she smiled, taking it. 

'Why not?' 

'Yes, I knew I liked you for a reason'. 

He spun her in a circle, before jumping and down, shaking his head, and making exaggerated moves that made El giggle  
breathlessly. She wiggled her hips, arms over her head, heart thumping in her chest as she tried to copy him, laughing when she failed miserably. 

'I'm going to go get a drink', Mike muttered to Dustin. 

He climbed to his feet, and walked, shoulders slightly hunched, to the dining table where a bowl of punch sat. He spooned himself some into a plastic cup and watched them dance, wishing he had the guts to go over and join. 

'Why don't you stop staring and join them?' 

Mike startled, and stared at Will who had suddenly appeared beside him. 

'What? No. What are you talking about? She's your sister...that would be...' he babbled. 

Will grabbed his arm, stopping the nervous flow of words, laughing. 

'Mike, calm down. It's cool if you like her.' 

'It is?' Mike said, stunned. 

'Yeah. You were, are, one of my best mates. I know you, you're a great guy. If she liked you back I don't see what the problem is.' 

'But I'm not....I mean, I don't...' Mike stammered again, face feeling like it's on fire and he trailed off, pretending to look at the food on the table. 

'Sure, Mike. But I just thought you should know I'd be fine with it. Not that's it going to happen,' Will said, smirking knowingly at him. 

'Right', Mike said, nodding quickly. 

El walked over to them, cheeks flushed and breathless from the dancing. They look over and see Steve sprawled on top of a  
giggling Nancy and a grinning Jonathan who were both trying to push him off. 

'What are you guys talking about?' 

'Nothing', they both said at the same time, trying not to look at each other. 

El looked at them for a moment before shrugging. 

'Okay. Do you guys want to play a game or something?' 

They all play a game of Life, and Steve snuck them all a beer to share. El took one small sip and face scrunched up, tongue sticking out in disgust, making them all laugh. 

The parents entered just as they were finishing the game, with Karen announcing that it's time to go home because the boys all had school tomorrow. They all packed up slowly, groaning and mumbling under their breaths, disappointed that the night was already over. 

Nancy climbed to her feet, smiling nervously, as she clutched Jonathan and Steve's hands tightly. 

'Um...actually, before everyone goes we have an announcement to make.' 

All eyes swung to them, varying expressions of confusion and anticipation covering their faces. 

Nancy lifted up her joined hand and showed off the diamond ring now sitting proudly on the third finger of her left hand. 

'We're getting married!' 

The room is silent for a few seconds before Karen burst into tears and Joyce let out a happy shout, waddling towards them and pulling them all into a hug. 

'Oh, I'm so happy for you all!'

The boys exchanged shocked grins, and El hid her smile, not wanting to give it away that she'd known. 

Karen ran over, pulling her daughter into a tight hug, still crying. 

'This is so wonderful! I can't believe it. But how is this going to...' Karen trailed, wiping her eyes, sniffling, slightly embarassed at the question. 

It was Steve who answered. 

'We're going to have a hand fasting ceremony for all three of us and then Jonathan is going to be on the marriage license. We decided it would nice for both you're families, and I'm just happy to be marrying the both of them that I don't mind who's name is on the license. I'm going to stand as the Best Man', he said, wrapping an arm around Jonathan's waist, who blushed, but looked happier than they'd ever seen them. 

Ted, who had long ago given up trying to understand his daughter's relationship, shook both men's hands, congratulating them, and gave his daughter a peck on the cheek. 

Hopper slapped Jonathan on the back, not saying anything, but the grin almost splitting his face said everything. 

'Well, that's perfect', Joyce sighed, cupping her son's face in her hands, tears shining in her eyes. 

'Oh, we have so many plans to make', Karen said excitedly, clapping her hands.

Nancy groaned and shot the boys a pleading look. They both held up their hands, and stepped back, causing everyone to laugh. 

It was the perfect end to the night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter than the rest but is one of my favourite ones so let me know what you think :)

March 18th 1987

'Oh, shoot', Joyce muttered, stopping in the middle of darting around the room in a frenzied hurry, hair sticking up all over the place, and held up a binder she plucked from the kitchen table.

El looked at her adoptive mother in concern, her forkful of Eggos halfway to her mouth.

'What's wrong?'

'Will forgot his English essay and it's due today. Now I'm going to have to race it over to him at the school, and still try to make it to my doctor's appointment at 9.15 to meet Jim', Joyce glanced at the clock on the wall, sighing when she saw it was already 8.05'.

El stood up, wiping her mouth on her sleeve, and reaching for the folder in Joyce's hands.

'I'll take it down to him'.

'Oh, sweetie, that would be great. Are you sure? You know how to get there', Joyce asked concerned, running a hand over her daughter's hair.

El nodded, and grabbed her yellow backpack from near the couch, stashing the binder in there so it didn't get creased.

'Yeah, I remember from....from before. And I was going to take Yoda for a run anyways.'

'Thank you so much, honey. Come straight back home and I'll take you out for lunch when I get back', Joyce told her, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek, before grabbing her purse and car keys off the bench and rushing out the door.

El looked down at Yoda, who panted at her, tail wagging lazily. 'Come on, Yoda, let's go for a run', she said, laughing when the dog scrambled to his feet at the word, nails scratching on the wood, and followed her out the door at a steady run.

////

'Shit, shit, shit! I'm so screwed. Mr. Williams already hates me, he's going to kill me if I don't hand this essay in. And it's due second period, there's no way I could get home and back in time', Will groaned, pacing back and forth in front of the school, the boys watching him worriedly.

'I can drive you there if you want', Dustin offered.

'No, you'd only get in trouble too', Will shook his head, 'Stuff it, I'm just going to have to risk it. I'll see you guys when I get back'.

He turned to leave, picking up his bag when Lucas frowned and suddenly pointed behind him.

'Is that your sister?'

Mike's head turned so fast his neck hurt as he saw El running up to them, her dog at her feet. She was breathing heavy and her shirt was slightly damp with sweat, but her smile was bright.

She leant on her knees for a second when she reached them, before pulling her bright bag off her back and pulled out Will's binder.

'You forgot your essay', she huffed, holding it out to him.

'You're a lifesaver, El', Will beamed, taking the folder and tucking it into his bag.

'Did you run the whole way here?' Lucas asked, voice surprised.

El nodded, sweaty hair falling into her eyes.

'That's half a mile', Dustin said, eyes wide, looking impressed.

'I like it', she shrugged, before turning back to Will, 'I have to go home, mum's going to be back soon and she was worried about me coming by myself'.

Will laughed, and pulled her into a quick hug.

'Okay, I'll see you after school.'

'Well, would you look at that, boys. Fairy's actually gone and got himself a girlfriend'.

El frowned when she felt Will stiffen and saw the other boys whirled around, Dustin's hands lifting in front of him defensively, Lucas's eyes narrowing Mike's face twisting into a glare. She glanced over Will's shoulder, and her eyes widened as she recognised the face leering at her.

'Hello, gorgeous. Tell me what are you doing hanging out with these losers? You could do so much better. Like me, for example', Troy said, smirking and winking at her, causing the three boys behind him to laugh loudly.

El pulled away from Will, ignoring his whispered warnings, and stepped towards Troy, who's eyes widened in surprise, cocking her head to side and looking him up and down before snorting.

'Oh, I know I can do better than you.' she said sweetly, and turned on her heel, whistling for Yoda who jumped to his feet, and heard Troy's friends burst into surprised laughter.

'She told you, Troy.'

She grinned at the boys as they all gawked at her, looking behind her nervously.

 _Hurry up, El_ , Will urged using their link, waving his hands at her, trying to get her to walk faster.

El rolled her at eyes at him, and started to walk away. Her steps faltered as she heard the scrape of angry feet against the pavement.

'Hey, bitch, I'm not done talking to you', Troy growled, grabbing El's arm and yanking her around to face him, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. Yoda growled warningly at her feet.

'Hey!' Lucas cried out, charging forward with Dustin and Will.

'Don't touch her', Mike yelled angrily, stomping forward to try and pull Troy off of her, even knowing it would probably end with him bleeding.

He slid to a skidding stop when he saw Troy's face suddenly twist into a painful grimace, crying out as El grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, causing him to bend backwards trying to ease the agony rippling up his arm.

'Never touch me again!' she said, her voice scarily soft.

El glared down at him, fury roaring through her, as felt her power rise up in her, using it to twist his arm harder than she would've been able to otherwise. Troy cried out, tears prickling his pale cheeks.

El stepped closer and whispered into his ear, feeling him tremble as the words registered.

'You'd think you would've learnt when I broke your arm the first time'.

All remaining colour drained from Troy's face, and his eyes went wide with fear, mouth slack as he stared at El.

Feeling blood beginning to trickle out her nose, El shoved Troy away from her, stepping away and brushing her hands off, as she pulled her powers back, feeling them settle and calm deep inside her.

'But...you....' Troy coughed out, voice trembling.

'Don't come near us again. Understand?' Troy's nodded frantically, scrambling back from her, holding his arm to his chest, and avoiding the eyes of his stunned friends.

El's lips spread into a shockingly sweet smile considering what she'd just done and she nodded at him, as the first warning bell rang signalling the time to head to class.

'Good. Now, go.' Troy scrambled away, racing for the doors of the school, his friends trailing behind, sending cautious and nervous looks over their shoulders at her.

El turned back to the boys, who gawked at her, all except Will who was biting his lip to keep from laughing and holding out a tissue to her from the stash he always kept in his pockets, pointing at her nose.

She took it gratefully, and wiped her nose, sniffing delicately.

'That was so freaking cool', Dustin said, breaking from his shock, and rushing forward and lifting El into the air, spinning her in a circle.

El stiffened at the abrupt contact before relaxing, and giggling as he dropped her back on her feet, his wide grin almost completely hiding his eyes.

'Are you okay?' Mike asked, frowning at the blood drying on her upper lip and she nodded, shrugging.

'Yeah, it happens sometimes'.

'What did you say to Troy? He looked like he was going to piss himself?' Lucas asked, tone gleeful, as grinned at her.

El blinked at the first smile she'd received from Lucas since she'd got back, the first sign of acceptance.

'Not this time', she told him, turning and jogging off, waving over her shoulder, brown eyes bright with mischief.

'See you at home', she called back.

Mike stared after her, watching as she turned the corner, Yoda running beside her, confused by the sudden image that flitted across his mind of a girl with blonde hair smiling at him as she wiped blood off her nose, as Troy was frozen in spot, pee running down the side of his pants.

'What the hell just happened?' he said quietly to himself, and jumped when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders.

'El just happened, Mike', Will told him, letting out the laugh he'd been holding back and shrugging his shoulders, 'you get used to it. Eventually. I told you you'd like her.'

Mike felt his cheeks heat up and pushed Will away. 'Shut up, Will'. 'Wait, when did Troy piss himself the first time?' Dustin asked confused, as they all rushed to the school doors as the second bell started to ring.

 

AN/ Hope you liked! The next chapter will have a lot of fluffy Mileven, and I should post either tonight or tomorrow- K x


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Argh, so much fluff in this one, I was smiling so hard writing it! I hope you love it as much as I do. Thank you so much for all the reviews, I love reading them and hearing what you think.

Karen Wheeler had offered to host Will's 17th birthday, worried about Joyce running after five teenagers so far along in her pregnancy. However, with Ted announcing, without any warning, that he had a work conference that weekend, and a dinner with his bosses that included wives, Nancy was roped in to supervise.

The teenagers were beyond thrilled, a whole night with the house to themselves, no adults, except Nancy and to them she didn't really count.

Which is how they all of them, including Will's brown haired, blue eyed boyfriend Cam who had come to Hawkins's for the weekend, ended up in Mike's basement that weekend. They ordered pizzas, Dustin getting a whole one to himself because no-one else liked pineapple, while listening to music.

The dreaded Clash song Will couldn't listen to anymore without getting flashbacks of the Upside Down came on while they were waiting for the pizzas to be delivered, and El used her powers to make the song skip after seeing Will stiffen up. Everyone in the room looked at the stereo, in annoyance, except Will who sent her a grateful smile.

El wiped her nose discreetly, and looked up to see if anyone else had noticed to find Lucas watching her, eyebrows furrowed, glancing down at her sleeve where spots of red stood out brightly against the pink material, his eyes slightly glazed and unfocused.

El pretended not to notice and cheered happily with everyone else when the doorbell rang, signalling the pizzas arrival. They ate them while watching Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters overanalysing every scene to everyone's mutual groans and complaints.

Will loved all his presents which included new art supplies from Dustin, tickets to an art exhibition in New York during summer break from El and Jonathan (which she had saved her pocket money for a month to go halves in), tickets to a double feature showing of Predator and Evil Dead II at the local theatre from Lucas, and a brand new copy of A New Hope, after Will had confessed his had broken after watching it so many times, from Mike.

They all agreed to finish the night playing Truth or Dare, with cards that Nancy had brought down to them earlier, telling them with a sad smile that Barb and her had used to use them during their many sleepovers. Dustin was dared to a drink a disgusting concoction they'd all made which consisted of eggs, mayonnaise, chocolate syrup and pickles. They were all equally impressed and disgusted when he drank it all in one go with barely a grimace. Lucas was dared to prank-call Steve and sing 'Girls just want to have fun' at the top of his lungs, while Cam had to do a nudey run down the street and back. For Mike's turn he was dared to kiss the person on his left, and had scrunched up his face and gave Dustin a quick peck on the lips, while Dustin had teased, 'I knew you always wanted me, Wheeler', Dustin had teased him.

It was Will's turn and he looked at Lucas with an anxious but determined expression.

'Dare', he decided after a few moments of deliberation.

'Okay, I dare you to...swap your shirt with the person on the right and wear it for the rest of the game', Lucas read off one of the cards, jerking his head to Will's right, before laughing, 'Oh, this is going to be good.'

Will's head snapped around to El, who sat cross-legged on his right, and they stared at each for a minute before Will's lip twitched and they both started to laugh.

'Okay, you pervs, close your eyes so we can swap'.

'Oi, I'm offended!' Dustin yelled, but obediently closed his eyes.

'And I know you, so keep 'em closed'.

Lucas rolled his eyes, elbowing Mike who had frozen at the thought of El getting half-naked in _his_ basement, before they both closed their eyes dutifully, Mike resisting the urge to peek.

'You too, Cam, this is my sister we're talking about'.

They heard Cam laugh as well, before the rustling of clothing and the occasional giggle could be heard from the both of them.

'Okay, you can open them now.'

Mike's eyes snapped open and he stared at the two of them, before he laughed loudly, slapping a hand to his mouth, tears prickling his eyes.

Will looked ridiculous! The sleeves of El's pink shirt were stuck at Will's shoulders, the seams stretched so far they looked close to splitting, and the bottom stopped above his belly button, making it look like he was wearing a crop-top.

He heard the others boys start laughing uncontrollably as well, Dustin had started rolling around on the floor, clutching his side in pain, 'Ow, make it stop', Lucas was crying, tears of mirth running down his cheeks, and Cam was blatantly checking his boyfriend out, a grin creasing his cheeks.

'It suits you, Will.'

'Shut up, Cam, it's not funny', Will whined, crossing his arms of his chest, causing the top to ride up more and the boys to erupt into laughter again.

Mike glanced over at El, butterflies suddenly tickling his insides, causing his cheeks to heat up.

She looked adorable, swamped in Will's over-sized blue hoodie, the sleeves hanging over her hands, giggling as she watched Dustin and Lucas.

Her face suddenly turned to his, her warm brown eyes, bright with laughter, meeting his, and he hurriedly looked away, embarrassed to be caught staring. Again.

'Okay, enough!' Will yelled, glaring at the boys, cheeks bright red.

They all settled down, with the occasional hiccup and giggle.

'Alright, El's turn', Dustin said breathlessly from laughter, leaning over to snatch the cards from Lucas, who narrowed his eyes at him.

'Oi, rude!' Dustin stuck out his tongue at him before turning to El, bouncing in his seat.

'Truth or Dare, El'.

'Truth'.

'Ooh, this is a good one. "Tell the group one thing that none of them know about you'.

'That's not a good one. We just met her. She could just tell us literally anything', Lucas said, throwing his hands up into the air, annoyed. 'You always pick sucky ones'.

'Do not!'

El looked thoughtful for a moment, pursing her pouty lips before she looked up and found them all looking at her expectantly.

'I have a tattoo'.

Mike's gaped at her, eyes zeroing in on her left arm, mind instantly jumping to the girl in his dreams and the 011 tattooed on her forearm.

He was being stupid. There was no way she could have the same tattoo as the girl. Right?

'Wait, what? Are you serious?' 'No freaking way! Awesome. What do you have? Can we see it? Do you have it in a weird place?' Dustin babbled, excitedly, peering intensely at El like he could find the tattoo through her clothes.

'There's no way you have a tattoo', Lucas said, doubtfully, frowning, but still curious.

'Pfft...I know that, El'. Will frowning at her and Cam nodded.

'Yeah, me too, that doesn't count as something we all don't know.'

'Wait, it's true?', Lucas asked, wide-eyed.

'You don't know about this one', El smiled at Will, a little smugly, before lifting her borrowed blue sleeve.

The boys all scrambled over and gawked down at the intricate tattoo on her tiny forearm.

It was a dagger, with a thin vines climbing around the blade, ending with a fully blooming pink rose curling at the golden hilt.

'Holy shit!'

'Awesome!'

'That's a D & D dagger', Mike breathed out, reaching out a hand to touch it, stopping with his finger hovering over the tattoo. He glanced up at her, suddenly breathless, as he met her brown eyes.

'Can I...' She nodded, swallowing hard, as he traced the vines lightly with his finger, the touch so light it tickled her slightly, fascinated.

They didn't notice the other boys exchanging a pointed look, eyebrows raised as they watched their two friends in what felt like a very intimate moment.

Will cleared his throat, loudly, and Mike quickly snatched his hand away, coughing awkwardly, and scratching at his neck.

'It's cool', he said, trying to sound nonchalant, but failed to keep the goofy grin off his face when El lit up, beaming at him.

Mike likes it, she thought, giddily.

'That's the same as the drawing I gave you when you first came back....I mean, when you first came to live with us' he backtracked awkwardly.

She nodded. 'I liked it.'

'And that's why you've been stealing all my long-sleeved shirts', he suddenly realised, 'When did you get it? Does Hopper know?'

El scoffed.

'No, am I breathing? He would freak. Mum took me just before we left New York, to cover the other one. We're waiting to tell him till Mom knows what the baby is so he'll be so happy he can't get too mad about it'.

'What other one?' Lucas asked, curiously, frowning when he saw El's face fall, and she fidgeted with the edge of shirt.

'The one They gave me'.

'Oh'. Lucas whispered, 'sorry.'

El shrugged.

Mike glared at him, ignoring his scrunched up face and mouthed 'what?', and rubbed El's back soothingly.

He was so concerned about El, that he completely missed El's confession moments before of a previous tattoo underneath her new one. And the question of what it could've been.

'It's okay, El. You don't have to talk about it.'

She nods, not looking up.

Awkward silence and then Cam looks at his watch.

'Shit, it's already 2. I have to be at the train by 10'.

'We better head to bed', Will said, standing up and stretching before going to where he'd stashed his and Cam's sleeping bags against the wall.

El rose to her feet, hugging her arms around herself, as if seeking comfort.

Mike's heart ached, watching her.

What had been a fun night was now ruined for her.

'I better head up to Nancy's room. Night', she said softly, turning towards the stairs.

'Night,' everyone chorused, Dustin waving distractedly, as he shook out his bright red sleeping bag.

Mike watched her run up the stairs, lips pressing together before he sighed and reluctantly rose to his feet to go and grab his mattress and sleeping bag.

/////////

El stopped outside Nancy's room, taking a shaky breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt hot tears beginning to well.

No, she thought, gritting her teeth and urging the tears back, refusing to let them fall.

Don't think about it. They can't ruin this for you as well.

Taking another calming breath, she opened her eyes and pushed Nancy door's open, knocking slightly.

'Nancy' she called out, quietly, as she stepped into the room.

The sudden sounds of sheets rustling, heavy breathing and quiet groans filled her ears and El gaped as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she saw the two figures tangled together on the bed, naked as the day they were born.

'Seriously, is this all you guys ever do', she said loudly, alerting the couple to her presence as they both froze, pulling away with a gasp, staring at her, eyes so comically wide she would've laughed if what she was seeing wasn't so disturbing.

'Eugh', she squeaked, slapping a hand to her eyes, spinning around and quickly leaving the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

She stood in the hall, shuddering.

'I so didn't need to see that. Again, I might add. Ever heard of a lock'.

'Oh my god, I'm so sorry, El. I'm forgot you were sleeping here, I swear', Nancy called through the door, embarrassment clear in her voice.

'I'll leave', she heard Jonathan mutter, and the rustling of clothes.

El shook her head frantically, even though they couldn't see her.

'No, stay. There's no way I'm sleeping in there now', she said, turning and running down the stairs, heading towards the basement.

El paused at the top of the stairs leading down to the basement where all the lights had been turned off. She walked down carefully, clinging to the banister, flinching at the stairs squeaked loudly beneath her feet.

She blinked, eyes adjusting slowly, and she could just make out the lumps of her friends in their sleeping bags. Lucas was to her left, his pillow pulled over his head, probably trying to drown out Dustin's ridiculously loud snores that echo from where he lays next to him, arms sprawled over his head. Will and Cam were cuddled together on the far side of the basement.

Where's Mike? she thought, frowning.

'Will...Will...' she whispered, standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs, not wanting to wake to the others by stumbling over them to get to Will and Cam.

El choked back a sudden scream, stumbling back as a black mass abruptly sat up in front of her, the noise gurgling strangely in her throat.

'El?' Mike whispered, voice sleepy, and confused.

'Mike? You scared me', she told him, breathing hard.

'Sorry,' he said softly, looking up at her, frowning. 'What's wrong?'

'Uh...can I stay down here? Nancy is upstairs....and so is Jonathan'.

'Oh,' Mike said, rubbing his eyes, yawning, before he sits up straighter, realisation dawning, ' _oh_! Gross!'

'You didn't see it,' El said, shuddering again.

Twice, she thought.

He was silent for a second, chewing his lip before he said hesitantly, 'You could share my mattress if you want. I've got an extra blanket.'

'Okay'.

She stumbled in the dark, accidentally stepping on his hand, "ouch", "sorry", before she settled down on the thin mattress next to him, pulling up the thick blanket over her shivering form.

Mike lay stiffly next to her, staring up at the ceiling. He didn't want to move too much, afraid he'd annoy her, or look like an idiot, feeling like he was twelve years old again. It was the first time he'd slept next to a girl he wasn't related to.

They were both silent, listening to the quiet, even breathing of their friends and the deafening snores coming from Dustin.

El giggled suddenly, causing Mike to startle and turn to look at her.

'He's so loud', El giggled suddenly, causing Mike to chuckle quietly.

'Yeah, he is. It's kinda soothing after all these years, I'm so used to it. Are you going to be able to sleep?' he asked, suddenly concerned, glancing over, and could just make out the gleam of her eyes in the dark.

El snorted.

'I live with Hopper, and the apartment in New York had really thin walls. This is nothing'.

Mike stared at the ceiling, questioning whether he should ask, but the words were coming out before he could stop them.

'Did you like it?'

'Like what?'

'New York.'

She was silent for so long Mike thought she'd fallen asleep. He was about to roll over and close his eyes when she answered, voice soft in the darkness.

'It was...lonely. I like it here more'.

Mike couldn't understand why that made him happy, but it did. He felt like he would burst out of his skin it was so strong. He wanted to tell her that, that he liked her being here too.

He squeezed his eyes, working up the courage, and whispered, 'El?'

'Yeah, Mike?'

'I'm happy you're here', he said, glad she couldn't see his face in the dark, which was so red he felt like it was on fire.

He heard her sigh and a rustle before he felt a hand patting his blanket. He took her hand gently, intertwining his fingers between hers.

She gave a quick squeeze, settling into the mattress, and closing her eyes.

'Me too.'

Mike waited breathlessly for her to let go, but soon heard her breath even out.

He smiled to himself in the dark and closed his eyes, letting sleep pull him away.

///////

El frowned in her sleep, feeling someone shaking her. She opened her eyes, blinking them grittily in the early morning sunshine, feeling like she only closed her eye a minute ago. She frowned up at Jonathan, expression annoyed, who grinned back at her, way too cheerful, in El's opinion, for this early.

She groaned, and buried her face back in her pillow, pulling the blanket over her head.

'Go away, Jon', she said, voice muffled by the material.

'Sorry, El, we gotta go. We have to get Cam to the train station.'

'Argh', El groaned, and sat up, pouting slightly, and lifted a hand to run it through what definitely feels like horrible bed hair. She frowned when she felt her hand pulled back down onto the bed by a weight.

She glanced down and bit her lip when she saw her fingers still linked with a sleeping Mike's.

Jon raised his eyebrows at her, glancing pointedly down at their hands, smirking.

El glared at him, biting back a smile as Jonathan backed away quickly, his hands up over his head, before turning to go and wake Will and Cam.

She peered down at Mike's sleeping face, a soft smile curving her lips. He looked so much like the twelve year old she first met, his hair a hopeless mop on his head, his face slack and peaceful, freckles stark against his pale skin and his mouth hanging open slightly.

He looks cute, she thought, running hesitant fingers through his soft hair, smiling when he sighed in his sleep, nuzzling into her touch.

And he'd kept the nightmares away, she realised, sitting back, stunned.

She'd been having nightmares every night since they'd moved back, waking every morning before dawn with a bloody pillow and tears running down her cheeks.

But not today, she thought, looking down at Mike with all the feelings she wasn't able to let show while he was awake.

Not with Mike next to her. He still made her feel safe.

'Mike...Mike', she said, quietly, shaking his shoulder with both hands, hating to have to wake him.

Mike jerked awake, lifting his head off his pillow, blinking at her blankly, before laying his head back down on the pillow.

'Hmm...?'

'Mike, I have to go. Cam's train leaves soon'.

'Okay,' he muttered into his pillow, yawning, 'bye'.

El pressed her lips together to keep from laughing and waking the other boys.

God, he was so cute all sleepy and confused.

'I'm going to need my hand back.'

Mike's eyes snapped open, sitting up, and he stared at their joined hands before letting go of her hand quickly, like he was holding something hot, cheeks flushing, eyes mortified.

El laughed, nose crinkling, as she kicked her blanket off, scrambling to her feet.

She glanced over to where Cam and Will were already on their feet, walking like zombies to the basement door with their bags where Jonathan was waiting and then back down to a red-faced Mike.

'I'll see you later?'

'Yeah, see you', he said, burrowing his head into his pillow and waiting until her heard the basement door shut firmly before he groaned loudly.

'Could you look like more of a moron?!'

'Have your romantic melt-downs later, Mike, I'm trying to sleep', Lucas yelled, slamming a pillow down onto head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So....this chapter is a little bit shorter than I first expected but I promise the next one way will be way longer. I hope you like it :) P.S. The song used is Dreams by Fleetwood Mac which I absolutely love.

Mike knocked on the Byers-Hopper's back door, which Hopper had specifically told them to so they didn't have to knock all the time, and opened the door, peering inside.

He was really hoping that Will was home as he desperately wanted to see the new film The Lost Boys at the theatre, and didn't want to go alone. Lucas was away visiting his grandmother for her birthday, and Dustin was at the school, helping organise the music for a school dance for the Freshman class that he would be MCing that night, so they couldn't come.

'Hello?' Will?' he called out, frowning when he didn't hear a response, but could hear the faint strains of music from the direction of his friends bedrooms, and stepped inside, wondering if Will was in his room, and just couldn't hear him over the music.

He followed the sound of music and froze as he realised he was outside El's bedroom, and the door was wide open.

He cautiously peered inside and saw her lying on her stomach on the bed, feet in the air, forehead creased with frustration as she studied a bunch of papers scattered across her bed. Her brown hair was pulled back into a stumpy ponytail, bits falling out all over the place, and she was singing softly, voice high and sweet to a song he vaguely recognised as something his Mom used to listen to a few years ago by a band called Fleetwood Mac.

'...Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions, I keep my visions to myself....'

Not wanting to get caught watching her and look like a total stalker, again, Mike tapped loudly on the door to draw her attention.

El stiffened, head swinging towards the door, eyes wary before her shoulders dropped, relaxing, and a welcoming smile curved her lips.

'Mike.'

'Hey', he said, stepping awkwardly into the room, still feeling embarrassed about the hand-holding incident the weekend before. 'I was just looking for Will.'

'Oh,' she said, shifting and sitting cross-legged, 'He's gone into the city with Jonathan and Hopper to try on suits for the wedding. They're going to stay there the night.'

'Oh,', he sighed, frowning in disappointment, before inching back out the door. 'I'll just go then...'

'Mike, you can still hang out here if you want. You don't have to run off', El told him, smiling, before turning her attention back to the papers in front of her, picking up a pencil.

Mike shifted from foot to foot, before slowly walking up to the bed, perching on the edge. He tilted his head, studying the image taking form on the paper.

'What are you doing?' he asked, curiously.

'Sketching. I'm not as good as Will, but Hopper talked to someone who said it would be good therapy'.

El lifted up the paper and turned it around to show Mike the sketch of a grey room with metal walls, small, barren and cold, with a single bed that was just a mattress, pillow and sheets, a lonely looking stuffed lion sitting on it, and a child's drawing stuck on the wall like an afterthought.

He raised stunned eyes to hers, icy cold dread spreading through his stomach.

'Was that your room?' he asked, horror filling his voice, nausea rising in his throat.

She nodded quietly, taking an orange pencil from the pack she's using, and begins to shade in the tiny, scruffy-looking lion.

Mike just stared at the drawing, tears springing to his eyes.

He'd always known that there were a lot of other people who hadn't had what he'd grown up taking for granted. Like hugs and kisses from his Mom, a warm bed, presents at birthdays and Christmas, and hot meals. But he hadn't ever known one of them. From the drawing, it's clear to Mike that El had never known any of that until she'd gone to live with the Byers/Hoppers, and he couldn't understand how someone who had known that much pain and loneliness could be as warm and kind and happy as El was.

He felt guilty for his happy childhood, while El was locked away, without any warmth, or affection, or even a friend.

'It's so small. How long...I mean, how long were you there?'

'Twelve years', El said, voice stiff and almost angry, her pencil digging into the paper harder, her other hand clenched into a fist.

'It was bad, wasn't it? I mean, really bad'.

She paused, lips trembling, before slowly raising eyes that were suddenly glistening with tears.

'I try not to think about it, you know. But I still dream about it...almost every night'.

Mike lifted his arm, letting it hover in the air indecisively for a moment before he stiffened his jaw and wrapped it firmly around her shoulder, pulling her close.

'I'm sorry. That you had to experience that.'

She shrugged, but Mike can tell it's taking everything she has not to burst into tears.

'It's over now. They can't hurt me anymore', she says, her voice muffled as she turned her head into his shoulder, sounding like  
she's trying to convince herself of the fact more than him.

Mike leant his head against hers, sighing, as he breathed in her now familiar lavender scent, and closed his eyes.

They sat quietly, just listening to the music, before the record came to a finish, and silence filled the room.

El's head shifted slightly, and Mike glanced down to catch her staring at his face, a tiny smile curving her lips.

Surprised, Mike couldn't help but smile back and raised an eyebrow.

'What?'

'Your freckles are pretty.'

Mike blushed, hastily looking down and pretending to study her pink and purple stripped comforter.

'Uh...thanks', he mumbled, not meeting her eyes.

'Mike?'

'Yeah?'

'Why did you want to talk to Will?' she asked, curiously, head tilted.

'Oh...um...it's nothing.' He shook his head.

'Mike, friend's don't lie'.

_Friend's don't lie._

A different voice, one that sounded a lot like El's but younger and more child-like suddenly echoed in his mind.

Mike blinked. He could almost swear that El had said that to him before her, but when?

Mentally shaking his head, he focused back on the conversation, shrugging at El who was watching him, concerned, not  
understanding his sudden distracted expression.

'I was going to see if he wanted to see The Lost Boys at two because it leaves the theatres tomorrow but he's away so...'

El frowned thoughtfully, her pouty mouth pursing out in the way Mike finds absolutely adorable and which makes his heart speed up.

'I could go with you.'

'What?' he asked, blinking, not sure if he had heard right.

'I'll go to the movies with you', she repeated slowly, eyes squinting at him.

He sat back, stunned, mouth hanging open slightly.

'Really? You want to go to the movies with me?'

'Sure. It's a date.' she said, teasingly, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing as she watched his dark brown eyes fly open in shock and his mouth go slack, opening and closing as he desperately tried to force words, ('come on, any words!'), out.

'A....a d-date?' Mike stuttered, sweat starting to gather and run down his back.

'Why not?' she asked, a smile slipping onto her lips.

Mike stared at her for another minute, before his eyes suddenly brightened and his face twitched up into a grin so wide she was  
almost sure she could see all his teeth.

'Okay, a date. Cool.'

'Cool', she copied, standing up to say goodbye. 'Tonight?'

He nodded, coal black hair flopping into his face as his head bobbed up and down, which he impatiently shoved away, as he  
backed out of the room.

'The last showing is at 7 so pick you up at six? Is that okay? We could get a burger or something first?'

'I'd like that. See you then'.

'Bye', he said, spinning around quickly and walking straight into the door frame.

'Ow, shit!' Mike muttered, wincing and rubbing his nose, before flicking El an embarrassed look over his shoulder, cheeks flushing.

El laughed, slapping a hand to her mouth, but not quite able to hide the smile.

Mike grimaced, biting his lip before giving a hasty wave and practically ran down the hall to the back door.

'Oh my god, oh my god,' El breathed out, giggling uncontrollably as she threw herself back down on the bed, bouncing slightly, not caring that she was crinkling the artworks she'd been working on all day.

She pressed her hands to her too-warm cheeks, giddiness bubbling up into her chest as she kicked her legs into the air.

'I have a date with Mike', she said, smiling so hard her cheeks ached.

But she couldn't stop even if she'd wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I'm so sorry I left it like that! But on a positive note, the next chapter is THE DATE!!! Are you as excited as I am? As always, let me know what you think - K


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, oh my god, I'm so excited for this chapter! I'm grinning so hard posting it. So, without further ado, I present the DATE CHAPTER!

As soon as Mike got home, he raced up the stairs with a quick hello to his bewildered Mom, and knocked frantically on Nancy's door, heart beating fast in his chest.

'Come on, Nancy, open up. I need to talk to you'.  
Nancy pulled the door open, eyebrows raised expectantly, face annoyed.

'What the hell, Mike?'

'I have a date with El!'

Her eyes widened, and she grabbed Mike's arm, yanking him into her room and dragging him over to sit on her bed.

Nancy grinned, excitedly, bouncing slightly.

'That's so great, Mike. Where are you going? When?

'To the movies tonight. I don't even know how it happened! One minute were talking about some drawing she was doing, and the next she said we should go to the movies and I was stuttering like an idiot', he groaned, grabbing his hair in his hands.

Nancy rolled her eyes at him.

'But you like El, right?'

'Maybe', he muttered, tugging at a loose string on her bedspread, refusing to meet her eyes.

'Mike...' Nancy drawled, nudging him with her shoulder.

Mike huffed and threw his hands into the air, glaring at her.

'Fine, yes, I like her. Happy?'

Nancy ignored his last question, and crossed her arms over her chest.

'So what's the problem?'

Mike sighed.

'I've never been on a date before. What if I look like a total dork? And it's El. She's my friend. What if I mess it up and she doesn't talk to me anymore or laughs at me!' he said, the thought making his face go even paler.

'So you're nervous', Nancy asked, face softening as she watched Mike nod his head, freckles almost black against his white face.

'I'm terrified.'

Barely supressing the 'aw' that tried to escape, Nancy patted his shoulder.

'Look Mike, she's your friend so she already knows you're a bit of dork, but she still asked you out anyway so she obviously likes you for who you are. So forget about all that looking like an idiot stuff. All you have to do is be yourself and have fun', she told him, smiling when she saw his face relax, and a timid smile quirk up his lips.

'Oh, and _try_ not to stuff it up', she said, not able to resist.

The small smile slipped off Mike's face, eyebrows drawing together into a line as he glared at her, crossing his arms over his  
skinny chest.

'Thanks, you're a great help, Nance. I'll be going now', he said, standing.

Nancy laughed, and tugged him back down.

'No, I'm sorry, stay'.

Mike reluctantly sat back down, pouting slightly and Nancy rolled her eyes.

'Come on, little bro, I'll give you a few tips about girls'.

///////////

Mike stood fidgeting at the Hopper's front door, shifting from foot to foot, holding the stupid flowers that stupid Nancy had made him buy.

'This is ridiculous', he muttered, tugging irritably at the collar of the blue button-up that Nancy had forced him into before she proceeded to hold him down and slick back his hair with some sort of sticky gunk.

He raised his hand to knock but paused when he heard El whining through the door.

'Please go away, Mom!' she practically begged through the door.

Mike smirked slightly at her awkward and uncomfortable tone.

At least he wasn't the only one who was nervous, he thought before the door swung open.

Mike felt the smirk slide right off his face as he stared at the transformation in front of him.

Holy shit! She's beautiful.

Her hair, which usually fell to her shoulders in a hazardous mess of curls, has been pulled back with only a few curls loose to frame her face, her eyes are shadowed with some kind of shimmery gold powder which makes them seem bigger and brighter, and her lips are slicked bright pink to match the lacy pink dress that fell to her knees.

Mike swallowed hard, adams apple bobbing, as his eyes dart back up to hers.

'Pretty', he blurts out, the words slipping out before his mind catches up and his cheeks immediately heat up as he realises what he just said.

You dumbass!

The colour faded from his cheeks, however, when he saw the nerves fade from her eyes as her lips twitched up into his favourite  
half-smile.

'Pretty?' she breathed, almost reverently, like he'd said the most perfect thing in the world.

He nodded, throat suddenly tight.

'Yeah', he said, voice croaky, 'really pretty.'

_Still pretty?_

_Yeah, pretty. Really pretty._

The familiar voices echoed in his head again but he barely registered them as she beamed at him, almost seeming to glow.

His fingers twitched on the flowers, the rustling causing El to glance down, breaking the eye contact.

'For me?' she asked, eyebrows raised, surprised.

'Yeah', he said, holding them up and practically shoving them into her face, causing his cheeks to heat again.

'Thank you'.

El ducked back through the still open door, and Mike could hear her whispering to Joyce before she came back through the door,  
closing the door softly behind her.

'Have fun, honey. And remember, be back by 11.' Joyce called through the door, cheerfully.

El rolled her eyes at Mike.

'Yes, Mom', she yelled back, and walked with Mike to the car in a silence that was surprisingly, to Mike at least, not uncomfortable.

He sped up in front of her to open the door, before racing around the side to his door and climbing inside. El picked up one of  
Nancy's old mixtapes, that Jonathan had made her, off the car floor as she waited for him, studying the song list curiously.

Mike turned the car on, switching the heat on high as he noticed El was shivering a little in the still chilly March breeze.

He twisted in his seat to look at her, about to ask where she wants to go eat, but found her frowning at him, her delicate eyebrows  
pulled together into a frown.

'What? What's wrong?' he asked, bewildered.

El abruptly leant forward over the console of the car, and put her hands in his hair.

Mike's breath caught in his throat, causing him to let an embarrassing 'eungh' noise as she ruffled his hair back into it's normal messy mop.

She sat back in her seat, smile satisfied.  
'There. Better.'

He blinked before grinning at her, and Mike knew in that moment, as he reversed the car out of the Hopper's long gravel drive, that he was a goner and this was going to be one of the best nights of his life.

///////

And he couldn't have been more right.

They both ordered burgers and fries from a diner close to the theatre and ate them lying on the bonnet of his car, looking up at the stars and giggling at the stunned stares of people who walked past them.

They talked about the D & D campaign that Mike was working on and planned to play with the boys in the next couple of weeks,  
their favourite topics in school, their favourite comic issues, and what they both wanted to do when they finished school (Mike wants to be a Doctor and El wants to be a speech therapist, 'to help other kids who are like me', she explained, softly).

Mike liked how she leaned close to him in the dark throughout the movie and asked him to explain jokes and references she didn't understand, and how she had grabbed his hand while jumping during a scary scene and hadn't let go, holding it until they got back to the car, even though his was almost dripping with sweat from his nerves.

They'd driven around afterwards, listening to music, and singing along to songs they both knew, and before they knew it, it was 10. 45 and it was time to take El home.

Mike walked her to her door, slower than his usual pace, disappointment running through him that the night was already over.

El turned to him when they inevitably reached the door, cheeks creased with a smile as she looked up at him.

'I had a lot of fun tonight, Mike,' she told him, rubbing her arms to keep warm, not wanting to go inside just yet.

'Me too,' Mike said, reaching up and scratching his neck nervously.

El stood in the doorway silently, awkwardly waiting for him to say something, anything more, before she sighed softly and half-turned to go into the house, reaching for the doorknob.

'Well, night Mike'.

Panic raced through Mike, and he quickly grabbed El's arm gently, spinning her back around to face him.

El opened her mouth to speak, confused, her eyes questioning. Her eyes widened when Mike muttered under his breath, black  
eyes suddenly burning and hungry, 'screw it', and cupped the back of her neck, tilting his own head down to press his lips to hers.

Mike's lips moved against hers softly and hesitantly, eyes screwed shut tight, as he silently freaked out, praying she would kiss him back. That he hadn't just ruined everything.

His heart stuttered in his chest, and he stiffened slightly as El sighed against his lips, and her arms reached up to wrap around his neck.

El's heart was fluttering like a hummingbird in her chest, her eyes sliding shut as she pushed up onto the tips of her toes to kiss Mike back, her fingers curling into his silky soft hair.

This was so different to their first kiss, she thought, almost dreamily. The one they had shared the night she didn't like to think of, the night they'd been torn apart, had just been a quick press of lips, and was over almost before it started. This was gentle, and sweet and almost curious, like he was learning her and liked everything he found.

She felt Mike stiffen slightly and paused, pulling her lips back and began to lower herself back to the ground. She gasped when  
Mike's arms suddenly tightened around her waist, and he yanked her closer to his chest, almost mashing their lips back together.

She opened her mouth slightly in surprise, and he deepened the kiss, causing a pleasant warmth to flood through her body, head to toe. She whimpered against his mouth, and was answered with a soft groan that vibrated against her lips.

He tasted like chocolate, and salt from the popcorn, and something else she didn't recognise, something uniquely Mike.

She liked it.

El felt Mike pull away, gasping for breath, and pressed her forehead to his with a happy sigh, not wanting to leave his arms. She opened her eyes, and giggled at the dazed look on his face, squeezing his hand at her waist.

'Hi', she whispered to him, feeling like they were the only two people in the world in that moment.

He blinked at her, focusing on her face, before smiling softly, and reached up to tenderly brush her hair out of her eyes.

'Hi.'

'I have to go inside. Mom is probably already watching through the windows', she laughed, melting a little as his face fell.

Mike reluctantly loosened his arms from around her waist, stepping back, and she shivered as she lost the warmth of his body.  
El turned quickly and opened the door, before pausing and peeking at him over her shoulder, smiling happily, eyes crinkling.

'Night, Mike.'

'Good night, El', he breathed.

He waited until she closed the door firmly behind her before he sprinted back to his car, climbing inside and slamming the door shut.

'Yes!' he yelled out triumphantly, slapping the steering wheel with the palms of his hands, his grin so wide he was lucky his face didn't crack.

Yep, Mike Wheeler, he thought, giddily, you are definitely a goner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....what did everyone think? As always let me know, I love hearing from you all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm almost didn't post this chapter tonight because I was super busy and out most of the night, but I didn't want to let any of you down so here I am, typing furiously at 11.30 at night!  
> Okay, here it goes. First, I have to say I'M SORRY! Please don't hate me. There is so much angst in this chapter, but it's necessary angst I'm swear

_El shivered in her thin paper gown, the material rustling as she stepped slowly forward, her trembling fingers smudging the glass wall in front of her._  
_She stared at the four figures on the other side of the barrier, icy cold horror racing through her veins._

_Will, Lucas, Dustin and Mike were all tied down on the other side, struggling and yelling, shoulders held down by four figures in medical masks whose eyes were dark, cold and unblinking. Silver guns gleamed under the fluorescent lights, pressed threateningly to their temples._

_'El, El, help us!' They screamed, desperately, faces white and drawn with fear, their voices echoing through the glass wall._

_El felt heavy hands fall on her naked shoulders, and shuddered as she recognised the deep voice that whispered near her ear._  
_Papa._

_'Don't worry, Eleven, they can't hurt you anymore. You're home now.'_

_El yanked away from him, her throat clenching in panic, breathing coming fast as she slammed her body against the glass, banging her fists against it desperately. She pushed her powers at it, trying to shatter the fragile material._

_But it wouldn't break._

_'No, no, NO!!!'_

_She watched, blood and tears dripping from her nose and eyes, trapped, unable to help them, as the men coldly pulled the trigger, and her friends heads slumped forward one by one, a black hole smoking in their foreheads, their eyes horribly blank._

_Mike was the only one left._

_He looked up at her, expression unreadable, as she heard him whisper._

_'Goodbye, Eleven.'_

_And then they pulled the trigger._

El jolted awake, lying on her side in her bed, gasping for breath, her throat burning, tender and raw as if she'd bbeen screaming for hours. She kicked desperately at the sheet that tangled and seemed to wrap around her legs, suddenly too hot, too confined, too trapped.

Like she had dreamed.

She shoved her head into her pillow, smothering the hysterical scream that ripped from her throat, fingers clenching so hard on the cotton that the seams tore away. Eyes stinging with tears, she felt the itchy drip of blood running down her ears and nose, the salt of her tears and blood mixing on her lips.

'I hate you,' she screamed, voice hoarse and trembling, 'I hate you!'

El dashed at her cheeks with her arm, sniffling, as she lifted her head and froze, a whimper slipping from her lips before she can bite it back.

Every piece of her furniture, including the bed she is lying in, floats almost a foot in the air, as if to mock her with her ability to do something so mundane while asleep, but being unable to save her friends in her dreams.

She let out a deep, shaky breath and focused her powers, pulling them in shakily and is relieved when she feels herself slowly lowering to the floor, along with the rest of the furniture.

Wrapping her arms around her chilled body, despite the warmth of the room, she looked down at Yoda who lays at the end of her bed watching her, his nose pressed into her comforter. She crawled towards him and buried her face in his fur and sobbed.

How could they do that to her? How did Brenner, whose name she had finally learnt after overhearing Hopper and Joyce talking about him when she's first came back, and the others justify stealing a baby from her mother? Or locking that baby away, a baby that wasn't even give a name, only a number, so it never even saw the outside world? Never knew warmth and affection or friendship. They had taken everything from her, so they could try to forge her into a weapon for them to control. A monster like them.

She'd gotten free. She had survived. But she was still damaged, still broken.

They'd still won.

El lifted her sticky and hot face, and wiped her nose on her sleeve, blood and snot mixing on her nightgown's sleeve. She glanced  
down at her watch, and sighing when she saw it was only ten past six.

She gingerly stepped onto the cold floor, body aching and stiff, and grabbed a hoody from the end of her bed, pulling it over head and tugging a pair of sneakers onto her feet.

She tip-toed down the hall, forcing herself not to peer into the upstairs living room where she could hear the boys peaceful breaths and soft snores

Will had hosted the D & D campaign that Mike had finally finished last night. The entire campaign had lasted for eight hours, and El had watched in the beginning before she had wondered off to listen to her Walkman, and catching up on her comics. She'd eventually fallen asleep on the couch. Mike had shaken her awake gently for dinner, the campaign finished, and they'd let her choose the movie (Star Wars, of course) to make up for her being bored all day. She'd held Mike's hand the whole movie, ignoring, with equally red cheeks, the wolf-whistles and merciless teasing of the boys after Will had "let it slip" about their date.

El strode determinedly out the backdoor, whistling softly for Yoda to follow.

She walked quietly, sticks and leaves crackling beneath her feet, purposefully keeping her mind blank and quiet, as Yoda walked beside her, tongue hanging out as he sniffed at various trees and plants.

She knew when she'd reached her destination, the grass she'd been watching underneath her feet abruptly turning to concrete, and she lifted her head to stare up at the building that still haunted her memories.

It looks almost sad, she thought blankly, the grey metal beginning to rust, some of the windows broken from vandals and bad weather. To any other person it would be nothing but a sad old building that used to be Hawkins's National Laboratory, part of the US Department of Energy, as the sign on the gate proudly stated.

It looked perfectly harmless, just an old abandoned and forgotten building.

El knew better. It had been her home, her prison, where they'd hidden her from the world for the first twelves years of her life. Twelves years in which she'd been tortured, used and locked away for the whims of people who claimed to be her "papa" and her "friends".

She didn't realise she was clenching her fists, her nails digging into tender flesh, until blood trickled down between her fingers, shockingly red against the concrete below.

The quiet calm she had forced her mind into fractured, and then cracked open completely, the uncontrollable rage she'd been holding onto with her fingertips, taking complete control.

She screamed, the power behind it causing the padlocked gate in front of her to crumple inwards, the steel bending with a  
deafening screech.

El kicked at the gate, ignoring the sharp pain that vibrated up her leg, and picked up rocks, throwing them with a startling precision until every window was shattered, the need to destroy the building almost strangling her.

She wants to use her powers until she has crushed every brick, every tile, every single piece of metal in the place until it was  
nothing but a pile of a rubble and rust.

Until it was like it had never existed.

She fell to her knees, wincing as her skin scrapped against the cement but beyond caring, as she sobbed miserably.

She couldn't do it, she'd tried, but she was a coward. Nothing but a god damn coward.

A wet tongue suddenly licked her cheek, Yoda whining at her and nudging her shoulder with his head. El absently scratched Yoda's head before climbing slowly to her, ignoring the blood dribbling from the cuts on her knees, and walked slowly towards home.  
//////

El pushed the back door open, flinching when it squeaked loudly, not wanting the boys to wake up and see her with her eyes red and sore, and blood still smeared on her face and neck.

There was no way she'd be able to give them a good explanation without looking like a closet serial killer, or without telling them the actual truth. She honestly didn't know which she'd rather admit to at this moment.

She poked her head back outside and waved Yoda inside where he happily sprawled near his food bowl, giving El a hopeful look.  
El swung around, sighing, stepping forward to get him some food when she jumped back, eyes wide with surprise, mouth pursing into an o.

Joyce looked back at her, a contraband mug of coffee held in front of her lips, mouth hanging open.

They stared at each other before they both spoke quickly.

'Please don't tell Dad I was out again without telling.'

'Don't tell your Dad I'm sneaking coffee'.

They looked at each for a long minute before El's lips twitched and Joyce threw her head back, laughing.

'Oh, god, we're two peas in a pod, aren't we, sweetie?'

El wasn't entirely sure what that meant but she nodded anyways, tucking her head down to try and hide her face from Joyce. She knew if Joyce saw her face she wouldn't be able to lie to her, so she put more speed into her legs as she hurried towards the hallway and to her room.

Gentle hands, a complete contrast to the firm, possessive hold Papa had had in her dream, settled on her shoulders, turning her slowly but firmly around. El kept her eye on the floor, refusing to look up.

Joyce tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to hers, taking in the dark circles, blood-shot eyes and blood smeared under her nose and on her neck, and her eyes softened.

'Are you okay?'

El started to nod, but felt her face crumple, eyes filling with tears again, and shook her head.

'Nightmares'.

'Oh, El,' Joyce said, tugging her into her arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead, 'how long?'

'Since we came back. I've been going there, Mom.'

Joyce stiffened, pulling back and looking down at the crying girl she'd come to love as her own, perplexed.

'You've been going where?'

El hiccupped, wiping at her hot face, quietly annoyed that was crying again.

'To the lab. I keep dreaming about Him. Brenner. And I wanted to go in there, to prove that he's gone, that he can't hurt me anymore, but I can't. I've been going there everyday since we came back and I can't walk through those gates. I'm a coward', she said, her voice cracking.

'No.' Joyce said, almost harshly.

El pulled away from her hastily, flinching back, but Joyce grabbed her arms firmly, and looked straight into her eyes.

'I don't want to hear you say that again, El Hopper, you hear me? You are the farthest thing from a coward. You're the bravest and strongest person I've ever met. Look at the things you've done. You volunteered to use your powers to go into the Upside Down to look for Will and Barb, two people you'd never met, even though you were terrified. You sacrificed yourself for those three boys in there to stop the Demogorgon, saving their lives and probably the whole town as well, and you survived a whole year in the Upside Down, hungry, afraid and alone, not knowing if would get back but fighting the whole time. Not to mention spending twelve years with those evil men and women in that lab, and still coming out so kind, and brave and bright.'

Joyce cupped El's face in her hands, brushing at the tears drying on her skin, meeting the stunned brown eyes of her daughter.

'What they did to you in those labs was inhumane, locking you away, experimenting on you and trying to use you as a weapon.  
They were monsters, El. Of course you're afraid to go back in that place. That doesn't make you a coward, sweetie. That makes you human.'

El gave her a wobbly smile, burying her hair in her shoulder, sniffling slightly.

'Thank you'.

'Anytime', Joyce whispered back, kissing her temple and reaching up to wipe at a few tears of her own. 'Okay, go get dressed.'

El pulled back, looking up at her, confused.

'I think we could use a girls day. Why don't you get dressed and I'll call Nancy and get her to come over and we'll go to the city for  
a few hours and do some shopping'.

'Really?' El said, eagerly.

'Yep, go get dressed and I'll just give her a call. Nancy should be up by now.'

El dashed to her room excitedly, and Joyce went to the phone, but not before looking after her daughter, sadly, silently praying that one day El would be able to live without the constant reminders the nightmares brought.

As the two women got ready for the day they were unaware that the three boys in the next room were wide awake, staring at each other in shock. And that they had heard everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did everyone think? *Hides behind laptop* As always please let me know what you think. I love hearing from you.  
> On the plus side I've just starting writing notes on a possible new fic that is so fluffy it makes my teeth ache so I hope that will help you forgive me. Eventually lol -K


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I can't tell you how relieved I was by all your awesome reviews for the last chapter. I was so nervous posting it, so thank you!  
> Anyways, here it is. The next chapter. I'm a little sad actually. It's almost over!

Mike pushed the door closed behind him, turning in the cramped bathroom to gape at his two friends who looked just as shocked he felt. 

Lucas's eyes were comically wide in his head, and Dustin was pulling at his hair, mouth opening and closing every few seconds like a goldfish. 

'What the hell did we just hear?' Mike asked his friends, collapsing against the door. 

'I have no idea. But that was freaking insane,' Lucas said, 'What is going on around here?' 

Dustin was strangely quiet, before he said suddenly said in a rush, words bursting forth like he'd been holding them back for a  
while.

'HasanyonelsehadvisionsaboutEl?' 

Mike raised his eyebrows at him and Dustin groaned and spoke slower.

'Has anyone else been having...like...I don't know, weird visions with El in them?'

'What are you on about, Dustin?' Lucas asked, bewildered.

'I'm serious! In them she has no hair, and has powers like the X-men or something and she's always doing cool and weird things  
like flipping vans, stopping Mike from jumping off a cliff and trying to take her clothes off in front of us'. 

Lucas snorted, sitting down on the edge of the bath. 

'I think that last one is just a dirty fantasy of yours that I really don't need to know about.' 

'I've been having them too', Mike blurted out, blinking at Dustin in disbelief. 

Lucas laughed. 

'I'm sure you have, Mike.' 

Mike's face scrunched up and his cheeks flushed with anger. 

'Not like that, you moron...I've been having visions too, like Dustin. Is she in a pink dress in them?'

Dustin's eyes widened. 

'Yeah, and she's wearing a blonde wig in some as well.' 

They both turn towards Lucas whose face was suspiciously blank, his arms crossed over his chest. 

'Tell the truth, Lucas. Have you been seeing them too?' 

Lucas looked away, lips stubbornly pressed together. 

Dustin glanced at Mike, huffing irritably just as the door slammed open, causing them all to jump backwards, Lucas flailing on the  
edge of the tub, almost falling in. 

Will stood in the doorway, rumpled in his star trek shirt and black pyjama pants, his eyes narrowed on them, watching as they shifted guiltily under his gaze. 

He took in their shocked and guilty expressions, and pursed his lips, nodding. 

'How much of that did you guys hear?' he asked, obviously having overheard the conversation himself. 

Mike blinked at him, before answering. 

'All of it.' 

Dustin pushed past Mike, almost knocking him into the wall, coming to stand in front of Will. 

'What the hell is the Upside Down? What did you're mum mean El looked for you there? When were you wherever that is? The Demogorgon, like D & D? What powers?' he asked, barely stopping for breath. 

Will blinked at him and glanced over his shoulder at the expectant expressions on the two boys behind him, and sighed. 

'You guys may want to sit down', he told him, turning and heading towards the dining room. 

The boys exchanged looks before hurrying after him, taking seats at the table where he already waits, looking nervous and unsure. 

'I really shouldn't be the one explaining this', they heard him mutter under his breath before he took a deep breath and looked up at them. 

'Okay, ask your questions. But one at a time', he said, flicking Dustin an amused smile. 

Mike looked at him quietly, not really knowing if he wants to know the answer to his question, but he asks before anyone else could get started. 

'What did your mean Mom mean when she said El saved us? That she "sacrificed herself" for us?' 

Will's eyes grew sad, and he rubbed a hand through his hair in frustration, before nodding, stiffening with sudden determination. 

'You know El...' 

'Well, duh, Will...' Dustin interrupted, rolling his eyes, 'of course we do.' 

'No, I mean...' Will let out an irritated huff, 'you've all met her before. Before two months ago, before we came back to Hawkins.  
You all met her even before I did, almost four years ago.' 

'What are you talking, Will? You're not making sense', Lucas said, looking suddenly scared, as if he was afraid of what Will was telling him. 

So Will began to explain. 

He told them all about being taken by the Demogorgon in 1983, dragged into the Upside Down where he was stuck for the longest week of his life, and how the Upside Down was a dark and empty version of their world. He told them about El escaping from the lab in the chaos after they made contact with the Demogorgon and the portal opened, how the boys had found her and took her back to Mike's house. How the bad guys had tried to take El back, and she'd used her powers to stop them, and to kill the Demogorgon, sending it back to the Upside Down and sending herself there in the process. 

He explained, hesitantly, worried eyes on his friend, how Mike had felt about her, and how he'd searched almost obsessively, barely sleeping, the whole year before the Bad Men had come for them and erased all their memories of El and the events. How he'd escaped it only because his Mom and Hopper had had a deal with the Bad Men to keep everything quiet and how El had turned up on their doorstep not long after their memories were erased, thin, scared and hungry, and had whispered only word. 

Mike. 

Mike swallowed back the sudden lump in his throat, avoiding Will's eyes as he tried not to cry, as sudden memory of El looking back at him, eyes red, the blood vessels in them bursting, as a creature roared, pinned to the chalk board behind her formed in his mind. Her voice whispered across his mind. Goodbye Mike.

'Wait, so El really has powers? Like the X-men or the Fantastic Four?' Dustin asked, excitedly, as Will nodded, lips quirking up at Dustin's enthusiasm. 'That's so cool!' 

Lucas made a rude noise, pushing up from the table jerkily. 

'Come on, Dustin, you can't really be buying this bullshit?' 

At Dustin's casual shrug, he whirled on Mike. 

'Mike?' 

But Mike did believe it. It felt right, like everything was finally beginning to make sense after years of him just pretending to believe that it did. 

'I can't believe this', Lucas said, stomping towards the back door. 

'I can prove it,' Will said hastily, causing Lucas to freeze in front of the door, before he ran away from them down the hall. 

He returned a minute later, puffing slightly with a pile of papers in his arms. 

'El and I have been drawing these since she got back. We've been using it as therapy.' 

He spread them over the table carefully, pulling some out from the bottom of the pile and slapping them in front of the boys. Lucas stepped over, reluctantly, as if he couldn't resist, and looked over the heads of the two other boys who crowded around the papers. 

They were left stunned again as they stared down at the drawings, almost perfectly depicting themselves four years ago at the age of twelve. Dustin's curly hair and missing front teeth. Lucas in his bandana from Nam and holding his wrist rocket. Mike on his bike, freckles scattered across his cheeks, wearing a stripped green and brown shirt he'd grown out of years ago, his chin scabbed from a fight with Troy. 

There were other drawings, one of a white-haired man in a suit who looked cold and cruel. Another one of Castle Byers, covered in slime and crawling slugs, in a dark grey place and one of a creature with long and smooth grey limbs and claws with a mouth like a venus fly trap and no eyes, that made them all shudder. 

And one final drawing of a girl in a pale pink dress and blue hoody that Mike recognised as one he once owned but thought he had lost, her hair shaved to a buzz cut, looking out of the paper with an intense stare, blood running down her nose. 

'Holy shit', Mike breathed, not quite believing it, running his finger over the drawing. 

It was her. The girl from his dreams. She was El!

'Look at the date.' Dustin pointed at the top corner of the drawing of himself, his finger trembling. 

Mike's read the date and blinked, stunned. 

January 12th 1985. 

Two years before they'd even met El. 

'Now, tell me you haven't had nightmares of that before', Will said, stabbing a finger at the drawing of the Demogorgon, 'or that you haven't dreamt of her before?' 

They couldn't. 

Mike shook his head at him, unable to speak. Lucas however backed away, a wild, panicked look in his eyes. 

'No way, I'm not having this conversation. This is bullshit. Stop trying to mess with us, Will.' 

Mike stood up, and stomped towards Lucas angrily, black eyes burning. 

'Wake up, Lucas. You know it's all true. How else would El have known what we looked like, exactly what we looked like when were  
twelve. Look at the date, it's two years ago. And the writing is faded'. 

'Shut up, Mike! You just want to believe it because it means that you and El are destined to be together or some other mushy shit.' 

An angry haze washed over Mike and he surged forward, pushing Lucas. 

'What the hell is your problem?' 

Lucas pushed him back, glaring at him. 

Dustin shoved between them, holding his hands out, while Will just watched, face blank. 

'Guys, stop!' 

'You're my problem, Wheeler. How can you just believe this shit? Huh? Tell me. Give me one damn good reason!' 

'Because I dreamt about El before she even came here. Before I even met her!' Mike screamed, face red with fury. 

The room fell into a stunned silence, the only sound Mike and Lucas's heavy breathing. 

'What?' Will gasped, looking surprised for the first time since he'd found them in the bathroom. 

Mike sighed, slumping down into an empty seat at the table. 

'I've been dreaming about her for years. The girl with the shaved head and pink dress who can move things with her mind. I thought I'd made her up, that I was going insane. But every time I dreamt about her I'd wake up and I'd feel so much pain but I  
couldn't understand why'.

Mike lifted pain-filled eyes to Lucas's who felt his anger deflate entirely at the sight. leaving him only scared and confused.

'That's why I believe it. It's the only thing that makes sense.' 

Will cleared his throat, and all eyes turned to him. 

'El will be home in a few hours and then she can prove it to you', he promised. 

'Will she be able to get our memories back?' Dustin asked, watching Mike worriedly as he stared down the drawing of El, like he was afraid if he looked away it'd disappear. 

Will looked in the direction Dustin was, and felt like his heart would break. 

'I really hope so'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Argh! Second last chapter. I can't believe it's almost over :( Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. El finds out they know :O

El raced up the stairs, skipping every second step, the shopping bags in her hands bouncing with every step. A smile curved her lips, eyes bright with happiness. 

Joyce had been right. A girl days was exactly what she'd needed, a day where she didn't think about labs, or monsters, or the fact that the boys still didn't remember her. She didn't need to hide who she was with Nancy and Joyce, and could just relax, shopping, sipping milkshakes and laughing as they walked. 

And to make the day even better Nancy had asked El to be her bridesmaid (laughing when El had just blinked at her, confused, when she'd asked and fondly explained what it was, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders) for the wedding. El was thrilled and Holly was going to be a flower girl with her. 

They had spent the last hour of their trip picking out a white flower dress for Holly with puffy sleeves and skirt that they knew she'd loved, and a dress for El. Nancy had shook her head in disgust at the rows of puffy-sleeved, frothy concoctions meant for bridesmaids and chosen a more reserved but still beautiful dress that was a soft pink with a scooped neckline, long sleeves that were decidedly puff-less, and which fell to just above her ankles. El absolutely loved it. 

She rushed up the stairs, bursting to tell Will the news, and was surprised to find the boys still there, sitting quietly, not speaking on the couches, all focused on their own thoughts. 

'Hey. What are you all still doing he...' El's happy voice stuttered out, and she froze in spot as four sets of eyes swung towards her, three wide with shock and caution, and the last apologetic. 

Mike surged to his feet from the couch, looking her up and down with disbelief, as if he couldn't believe she was actually there. 

The shopping bags slipped from her suddenly cold and nerveless fingers, the clothes spilling out across the floor, as she swung hurt, betrayed eyes onto Will. 

'You told them', she said, her voice a trembling whisper, so soft they could barely hear her. 

Fear dropped into her stomach like a leaden weight, leaving her breathless and dizzy.

Her mind raced, telling her to run and to run fast. 

The fear in her voice and hammering at his mind through the bond made Will's heart beat faster, and he rushed forward quickly,  
stopping only when she shook her head frantically, stumbling back a step. 

'They heard you and Mom this morning, talking about the lab....' 

A distressed sound burst from El, the kind a wounded animal would make, and they all came to their feet, watching, devastated, as she glanced around the room almost hysterically, looking for a way out. 

Will held up a placating hand, taking another careful step towards her. 

'El, they've been remembering. They're remembering you and before. They just want to talk....

'No!', El yelled, causing them all to jump, and she backed towards the hallway, 'I don't want to...I can't....you promised me, Will!' 

She let out a sob and turned, bolting for her room, the door slamming behind her. 

'El...' Will cried out, running towards the door. 

His legs suddenly jerked to a halt, arms flailing, almost falling forward at the abruptness. Will steadied himself and stared down at  
his body, eyes shocked, before realisation dawned and he growled in frustration. 

The other boys gaped at him as he reached down to yank at his legs and he jerked his body forward, but nothing. He couldn't move an inch, El's powers holding him firmly in place. 

'Shit! El, come on, I'm sorry. Please, let me go.' Will begged, desperate to get to his sister. 

'Leave me alone, Will,' she yelled through the door, tears evident in her voice.

Will let out a shuddering breath, and turned wounded eyes to the others.

'Maybe you guys should come back tomorrow...' he began, but they were already shaking their heads, eyes on El's closed door. 

'We're not going anywhere', Mike said, voice hard and face determined as he walked towards El's door.

He reached down, trying to turn the handle and it won't budge an inch, and Mike knew she was using her powers, the powers he just saw were most definitely real, to keep him out. 

Mike groaned, smacking his head against the door, biting back the panic that threatened to overwhelm him and knocked lightly on the door. 

'El, please come out'. 

There was silence, no more tears, nothing. Mike's heart began to race and he stepped back, ready to break down the door if he had to get to her when he heard her voice through the door. 

'I can't, Mike.' 

Mike sighed in relief, eyes softening, as he pressed his ear to the door. 

'Why can't you?' 

'Because you all hate me now. And I can't...I can't handle that. Please just go.' 

Mike stepped back, stunned. 

'Why the hell would you think that?' he asked, voice harsh with surprise. 

He could almost hear her characteristic shrug. 

'I lied, Mike. I lied to you all, all these months. I didn't tell you who I really was. Friend's don't lie.' 

'We don't hate you, El. We understand. You were trying to protect us,' Mike told her. 

El shook her head on the other side of the door, sniffling, forehead pressed to the door. 

'I was protecting me too. I didn't want you all to think I was crazy or a freak. To not want to be my friend'.  
Mike's pressed a hand to the door, nodding. 

'I know, and I'm glad you lied. I am', when he heard her scoff, 'If you'd told us the truth, you're right, we probably would've thought you were crazy and not been your friend. And that means we wouldn't have got the chance to become friends, to get to know each other again, without monsters or bad men chasing us. And I wouldn't have gotten to....'

Mike swallowed hard, refusing to look behind him where the boys listened intently, knowing he needed to get the words out. To finally say them. 

'And I wouldn't have got the chance to fall in love with you again'. 

Mike heard El whimper through the door, and squeezed his eyes shut. 

'I've been dreaming about you, El, since you left. Just waiting for you to come back to me, without even knowing it. Now you're back and I want to know everything about you, about that girl, not just the things I've learnt the last two months. I want to remember our first kiss, our real first kiss, how we actually met, and all the things we did that first week together. Please, come out, El. Please help me, help us, remember that girl'. 

All was silent in the room until the door handle slowly turned, and El emerged, face pale and wet, but her eyes soft and loving as  
she stared at him. But he could still see the fear behind it she was trying to hide. 

He pulled her into his arm quickly, nuzzling his head against hers. 

'You scared me'. 

'I'm sorry,' she whispered into his neck, her breath tickling his skin. 

He shook his head, tightening his arms around her, and kissing the top of her head softly. 

'Don't be.'

They stood there for a minute, forgetting about the others boys, just drawing comfort from the others warmth and familiar smell. 

The relief that ran through El almost made her knees buckle. 

They didn't run, they don't hate her. 

El took a deep breath, nerves pitching in her stomach, and she reluctantly pulled away from Mike, turning towards the other boys.  
She bit her lip, relaxing slightly as she felt Mike's calloused hand slid across the back of hers, fingers intertwining and squeezing twice, letting her know he was there. 

She looked at Dustin and Lucas, the former who sent her a soft, encouraging smile and Lucas who watched, face expressionless but eyes cautious and scared. 

'I'll help. If I can'. 

//////

She had them all sit on the couch, side by side, and they all looked at her expectantly, waiting for instructions. 

El bit her lip, wringing her fingers in front of her, the waves of support coming down the link from Will where he sat behind her on the opposite couch settling her. She straightened her shoulders, nodding. 

'To do this I'm going to have to...enter your minds. But you have to let me in, and not try to block me or I won't be able to help', she said, looking at them all but giving Lucas a significant look. 

Lucas raised his eyebrows, surprised as he realised she'd known all along how he'd felt about her, how he resented her for the visions that scared him, and how he had just wanted to her to go away so they'd stop. 

'Enter away, super girl,' Dustin told her, winking, and El had the sudden inappropriate urge to laugh.

She turned to Mike who nodded at her, smiling encouragingly, the complete trust on his face bolstering her confidence, and her belief that she could do this. Lucas thought for a second before giving her one stiff nod, reluctantly giving his permission. 

She let a breath out, and concentrated on her power, feeling it rise up inside her. 

'Okay, Dustin first', she said, closing her eyes and reaching outwards. 

El was surprised at how easily she slipped into Dustin's mind, how open he was. Dustin's mind was a comfortable place to be in,  
honest and inviting, like he had no secrets and he was happy she was there.

Opening her minds-eye, El easily found the crudely made lock that shouldn't have been there, that they'd placed there. She focused her powers on it, shattering it easily into dust that disintegrated into nothing, releasing the memories that had been pressing up against it, waiting to be freed. 

'Holy shit,' she heard Dustin mutter, but didn't open her eyes, quickly pulling back and slipping into Lucas's mind, not giving him any warning or the chance to block her. 

El felt him start and stiffen slightly, a shocked cry escaping his lips. 

Lucas's mind was cautious and scared, squeezing at her, trying futilely to push her out. El found his lock as quickly as possible, heart aching at how scared and uncomfortable he was, and concentrated her powers on the lock, watching as it too splintered and disappeared. 

El opened her eyes, swaying slightly, watching through dizzy eyes as Lucas's face crumpled and fell, lips trembling before he  
buried his head in his hands and out of sight. 

But EL has no time to comfort or reassure him, as she felt her powers beginning to wane, blood trickling down her nose and starting to leak from her ears. 

Mike stared at her, chest tightening and mouth going dry with fear. 

'El, take a break, you don't need to do us all right...'

El ignored him, determinedly pushing into his mind, ignoring the way her muscles had begun to tremble. 

Mike's mind, she discovered as she settled into place, felt like home. Warm and comfortable and safe. It reminded her of the fuzzy, snug feeling El got whenever he hugged her or when she felt his hand curl around hers. It's like she'd been there before and she almost didn't want to leave. 

El shook her head, dragging her concentration back, and opened her tired mind's eyes, feeling her body jolt, stunned by what she saw. 

Mike's mind didn't just have a lock. It had a wall. 

A wall, clearly painstakingly built brick by brick, to lock away the memories of someone who had clearly fought every step to keep them. It had clearly taken a beating over the years, now rickety and looking like it's going to topple over any second, with bricks missing and cracked here and there. Missing pieces where his memories had been able to slip through, causing all of his dreams. 

El almost collapsed, just wanting to sit on the floor and cry. 

Mike had fought. He'd fought so hard for her, to remember her, to stop them from stealing his memories that he'd clearly been destroying the wall even as it was being created. 

He loved her that much. 

El narrowed her minds-eye, clenching her hands in her physical body, and let out a ear-shattering loud yell, pushing all her  
remaining power at the wall with such force she fell to her knees. 

'El!' Mike screamed in fear, clutching his head as sharp pain bit into his temples and he collapsed backwards onto the couch, eyes  
rolling back into his head as he fell unconscious. 

She couldn't answer as she watched the remaining wall crack and crumble inwards, the noise almost deafening, before it shattering completely, disappearing in a cloud of dust. 

El came back into her body, swaying on her feet, a wave of nausea rising in her throat, pain splintering through her mind. She let out an agonising scream as she tipped to the side, bouncing hard on the floor, blood dripping heavily from her nose and ears. 

She vaguely heard the other boys yelling, calling her name in panic, through the buzz in her ears but she could only whisper one word before the world went dark. 

'Mike.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think :) - K


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. The last chapter. I can't believe it's already over :( Well, I hope you all like the ending. Thank you all so much for all the wonderful and amazing reviews, encouragement and support you've sent me. You have no idea how much I appreciate it x- K

_'No, NO, LET ME GO!' Mike screamed._

_He bucked against the firm, cruel hands the pushed him back down into the chair he was tied to, his breath coming in panicked bursts._

_He stared wide-eyed, heart sputtering in his chest, as the boy with a shaved blond head walked towards him, icy blue eyes coldly watching him._

_He jerked, muscles straining at the rope tying his hands, when he spotted the 03 tattooed on his arms._

_'No, please, don't', he begged, tears spilling down his cheeks._

_The boy kept walking, hands outstretched, and pressed his fingers to Mike's temples._

_Pain laced through Mike's head, and he cried out, still begging._

_'I won't say anything, I promise. Please don't do this'._

_But they wouldn't listen and the pain built and built until he thought his head would explode, horror racing through his vein like ice as his memories of El began to disappear one by one, blurring until they faded away and he knew nothing of the girl he loved._

 

Mike jerked awake, eyes slamming open, groaning quietly at the headache throbbing sharp and heavy in his temples. Pressing his hands to his eyes, he sat up gingerly, trying not move to move around too much, searching his mind, trying to remember why he was lying on the couch.

As the events of the last hour rushed back to him, Mike sat up straighter, ignoring the dull pain that burst behind his eyes at the movement, and turned his head back and forth looking for her.

But the room was empty except for him.

She wasn't there.

Where is she? he thought, mind growing fuzzy as his thoughts turned frantic, images of her disappearing again causing his breath  
to come faster, almost hyperventilating.

He spotted the red stains on the carpet, and almost vomited as he was realised it was blood. Her blood.

Mike staggered to his feet and walked shakily towards the dining room, trying to sort through the myriad of images that raced through his head, all blurry and indistinct, but there.

Memories of a white van flying over their heads as they rode on bikes away from the Bad Men, rocking in his dad's arm chair, laughing together, El stepping out of Nancy's room wearing that pink dress and his heart skipping a beat for the first time because of a girl, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, weight comforting and causing his stomach to pitch with nerves at the same time, as they rode around town on his bike.

And the memory of him pressing his lips to hers in the cafeteria and smiling at one another moments before the world had turned to chaos.

She'd done it, she'd gotten their memories back, he realised, feeling like he'd woken from a bad dream, and the world was suddenly right again.

Mike spotted Dustin and Lucas talking quietly at the kitchen table, Lucas's face buried in his arms and Dustin's arm wrapped around his shoulders, patting comfortingly.

'I was so horrible to her. All this time she was right here, and I go straight back to being a total dick. I was just scared, you know?  
Scared of what I was seeing and I blamed her', he said, voice muffled.

'Hey, give yourself a break, Lucas. You're always a dick, why would you be any different to El?' Dustin joked, lips quirking up into a grin, not able to hide how excited he is.

Lucas laughed weakly as he elbowed Dustin, lifting his head off his arms.

'Jerk.'

'Don't worry, man. El will forgive you. I don't think she even knows what a grudge is.'

'Where is she?' Mike asked, voice croaky.

Dustin and Lucas's head snapped up, surprised that he was up. Lucas opened his mouth to speak, face scrunched up guiltily.

'Mike, I'm...'

Dustin grabbed Lucas's shoulder, shaking his head slightly.

'Not now, Lucas', he told him under his breath, knowing Mike wouldn't be able to focus on anything but El until he saw she was alright.

'She's okay, Mike. Will said that helping all of us at the same time completely drained her powers and that's why she collapsed.  
You know how she is afterwards. She's just sleeping it off'.

And he did know what she was like afterwards and the knowledge sent a happy thrill through him. He turned, rushing towards her room, ignoring the amused laughter coming from behind him.

He froze in the doorway. El lay sprawled on the bed, blankets piled on top of her, her face almost grey and blood staining her skin. Will sat on the edge of the bed beside her, wiping at her face gently with a damp washcloth to remove the blood, his own cheeks wet and eyes bloodshot.

Will looked over at Mike in the doorway and gave him a tired but happy smile, motioning him into the room.

Mike didn't waste time, hurrying towards the bed and sitting down carefully beside her, studying her face almost hungrily, knowing deep down that he was being ridiculous. He'd knew that he been looking at her face almost daily for months, but it felt like this was the first time, like he hadn't really been _seeing_ her.

She still looked so like the girl he'd first met in the forest that rainy night when they'd been looking for Will. Same delicate features, expressive brown eyes and pouty lips. But there were subtle differences now.

She was no longer too skinny, and her face was fuller, healthy, with a smattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose that hadn't been there before. And her hair was curly, something he'd never imagined it being when he'd first met her, and he chuckled as he ran a finger over one curl.

He'd missed so much, he realised, feeling anger uncurl in his stomach and spread through his body.

'How long?' he asked stiffly and Will sent him a confused frown, surprised by his abrupt mood change.

'How long after they erased our memories did she come back?'

Will's face cleared and his eyes grew sad.

'Mike, don't do this to yourself...'

'Will, tell me', Mike said, gritting his teeth.

Will sighed, before looking up at Mike.

'Two weeks. She came back two weeks later.'

Mike closed his eyes, pain slicing through the anger.

'I want to kill them', he whispered to Will, surprised when he didn't say anything, and he opened his eyes, looking into his friend's face, which had softened with understanding.

'I want to hunt down every single one of those monsters until I have killed every one of them for what they did to El, to me, to all of us. They stole years from us. Years! Hadn't they already taken enough from her? What right did they have?' he cried, punching the mattress underneath him furiously.

Will was silent for a second before he seemed to come to a decision.

'I know. I felt the exact same way when I came to school the day after they'd gotten to you all and it was like nothing had ever happened. You didn't remember anything. Every time I tried to bring up that week, the Upside Down or El you'd all just look at me blankly and just change the subject or walk away. That's when I realised that they'd done something to all of you. And when El came back we knew they'd come for her and we had to get her away. We all left for New York the next day.'

Will buried his face in his hands, sniffling slightly, before looking back at him, eyes full of pain.

'El was devastated when we told her what had happened. She refused to eat or sleep, she didn't speak. She just stared at the walls for days. It wasn't until Mum and Hopper promised her that when they were sure that it was safe we would go back to Hawkins, that she started to come back. She still barely spoke but at least she was eating. She slowly got better, their promise keeping her going. She went out, she saw the world, she did her lessons with Mom, but there was still a part of her that wasn't with us. She was always waiting for you, Mike. And Dustin and Lucas. You're her family, the first one she knew'.

Mike nodded, blinking back tears as he ran a hand down her hair and lowered himself onto the bed beside her, wiggling under the pile of blankets, needing to be as close to her as possible.

'Thanks. For telling me, I mean.'

Will nodded, and left the room, pulling the door closed behind him to give them some privacy, not caring that Hopper would  
probably have a stroke if he found them in bed together.

They both needed this.

Mike snuggled into the pillow and peered up into her face, going slightly cross-eyed from how close she was.

'I'll be right here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere', he told her, and closed his eyes, mind drifting as he waited for her.

As he knew he'd always wait for her.

////

El opened her eyes, flinching as the late afternoon sunlight shining through the window beamed directly into them and she immediately closed them again, groaning. Her head pulsed, like there was a drum beating away behind her eyes, and her throat was so raw and so dry she would've done anything for a glass of water.

She tried to push herself up on trembling and weak arms, but paused, frowning when she felt a heavy weight shift on her stomach, pinning her back down on the bed.

El lifted her head, surprised by how heavy it feels and blinks when she finds herself inches from Mike's sleeping face. His pitch black hair is hanging over his face, long lashes brushing his cheeks where the constellation of freckles stand out darkly against his milky skin.

He was snoring slightly, his warm breath feathering across her skin and lifting her hair off her face.

She lifted a trembling hand and ran it along his cheek, tracing the shapes his freckles formed.

Mike twitched awake, startled and sleepy eyes meeting hers, as her hand flopped back onto the bed weakly.

They stared at each other for a moment, neither of them breathing, before Mike's face fell, tears filling his dark eyes as he buried his face in her chest, body shuddering.

'El,' he choked out, 'I'm sorry.'

El ran her fingers down his back soothingly, her lips trembling as hot tears filled her own eyes, threatening to spill over.

'Mike...no....don't cry...' she choked out.

Mike sat up, dashing at the tears that kept coming, grabbing her freezing hands in his, squeezing gently and leaning down to  
blow warm air on them.

'I broke my promise. I promised you a home, and to go to the Snow Ball, and to be there for you and I wasn't. I'm so sorry'.

El shook her head, frowning, wiping at the wetness on his cheeks.

'No', she said, her voice frail but firm, 'it wasn't your fault. It was theirs. They did this. And I broke my promise too. I wasn't here for the Snow Ball either'.

Mike laughed wetly, pressing his forehead to hers, and squeezed his eyes shut.

'I missed you so much, El.'

El finally let the tears she fought so hard to stop fall, wrapping her arms his neck and clinging tightly.

'I missed you too. It hurt so much, Mike, to finally come back and to find out that they'd taken you, and Dustin and Lucas, away from me as well. I didn't think I'd survive it. I didn't want to. I love you so much, Mike.'

Mike sobbed at the words, and pulled her into his lap, tilting her chin back gently and pressing his lips to hers almost desperately.  
She kissed him back just as eagerly, forgetting how tired she is, and how much her head is aching, and wound her legs around his waist.

El pulled back after a few minutes, gasping for breath, her fingers digging into his arms through his shirt.

'You'll never lose me again', he swore, slightly breathless, his eyes blazing, 'Even if I have to fight men and monsters, which we  
both know is a possibility, I will never leave you again.'

'Promise?' El asked, looking at him, his favourite smile curving her lips.

He grinned at the familiar word, the word they had used as children, that had come to mean so much more than they would've imagined, and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

'I promise.'

They heard a loud knock and both turned their heads to the door as it swung open to reveal their friend's standing in the doorway, Dustin practically vibrating with excitement and Lucas smirking, Will rolling his eyes behind them.

'Sorry, guys, I couldn't hold them back anymore.'

'Get a room, you two, jeez.', Lucas teased.

'Yeah we don't need to see that', Dustin chucked in.

'We do have a room. You guys are the intruders', Mike said, mock-glaring at them.

Dustin and Lucas both rushed forward, pouncing on El, ignoring Mike's yelled 'Careful', and hugged her tightly, as they laughed and talked over one another.

'I'm so sorry, El!'

El shook her head, not needing Lucas's apology.

'You got your front teeth!'

'And you have hair now!' Dustin said, exclaimed, ruffling said hair to El's amusement.

Lucas rolled his eyes.

'She always had hair, dingus.'

Mike's eyes met hers as the boys began to fight, returning the warm, happy smile she gave him, unable to think of a time when he had felt this happy, like his skin was too tight and he would burst.

He had the girl in the pink dress back. The girl who had saved his life so many times, who he had shared his first kiss with and who he'd promised to take to the Snow Ball. He hadn't been able to keep that promise, but he knew he'd spend the rest of life making sure he never broke another. He would never lose his girl again, would fight anyone and anything to keep her, and he knew, as she looked over at him suddenly as if she'd read his mind, her warm brown eyes laughing and knowing, that she felt the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you thought :)   
> Oh, and some people have been asking me about writing more Mileven in the future and I'm happy to report I'm working on a new one as we speak. :) I'm not sure when it'll be finished as I am having some irritatingly writers block but will hopefully be finished in the next few weeks. Until then I have a few one shots that are almost ready to be posted. Thank you all again- K


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